


Power Rangers: GeoForce

by GreyofAgarhoth, Tricksterwolf (GreyofAgarhoth)



Series: Power Rangers: GeoForce [1]
Category: Power Rangers
Genre: Absent Parent, Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Deceased parent, F/M, M/M, Original Character(s), Originally Posted Elsewhere, Parent/Child Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2020-12-24 11:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 44
Words: 70,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21098957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyofAgarhoth/pseuds/GreyofAgarhoth, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyofAgarhoth/pseuds/Tricksterwolf
Summary: Set in an Alternate version of the Power Rangers Universe with a significantly altered timeline: Ten years after the fall of the Magnificence a new enemy appears. Using advanced technology and mutated plant and animal tissue this new threat proves more than SPD can handle. The Earth itself calls forth a team of teen Rangers, giving them the powers of the Primal Elements: Fire, Earth, Air, and Water.





	1. 2103

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in 2005 on FF.net and various Power Rangers forums, this re-release of _Power Rangers: GeoForce_ represents an update and revision of the story. A chance for me to rework some things I have come to feel didn't work quite the way I wanted to the first time around. The story uses an altered, mostly in the form of streamlining, timeline and is based on the idea that Zordon's sacrifice bought the galaxy and extended period of peace. All of that will be explained fairly quickly, much to the chagrin of our young protagonists.

“In 1993 Zordon of Eltar formed the original team of Power Rangers, seen here, in order to battle the threat of first Rita Repulsa, then Lord Zedd,” the robot tour guide droned. “The coming of Master Vile required the Rangers to turn to the Zeo Crystal. His defeat also, unfortunately, resulted in the destruction of the original Morphing Grid,” it continued, pointing to a holo in the time-line exhibit. “Fortunately, Zordon and Alpha-5, along with the help of former Blue Ranger William “Billy” Cranston were able to utilize the Zeo Crystal as a new power source, creating the Zeo Rangers just in time to face the Machine Empire. Upon defeating this enemy, the Zeo Crystal and its associated morphing technology were given to Prince Trey of Triforia, who established a new Zeo team on that planet. By this point a new Turbo Morphing Grid had been established, which the new Rangers used in combat with the pirate queen Divatox, until the Command Center was destroyed a second time just prior to the Second Galactic War against the Dark Specter, the culmination of which saw Zordon of Eltar sacrifice himself to defeat evil in 1998.” The robot guide affected the Universe’s most artificial smile . . . an Alpha unit it wasn’t.

“If I wanted a Ranger history lesson I would have stayed at school today . . . or worse, at home,” grumbled Tyler Forge, his green eyes nearly covered by his tousled auburn hair, shoulders hunched, and hands firmly buried in his pockets . . . the image of total boredom.

“Shhhh,” was the only response from Andrea Eastman, one of his best friends, as she pushed back her curly, pale brunette hair and fixed her blue eyes on the holos in front of them, “this is fascinating, and I want to hear.”

“Andy, you think anything involving facts, figures, or data points is fascinating,” chuckled Conrad Mason. His hand moved through his short dark hair, his hazel eyes darting around. “When are we gonna get to the weapons display?”

The quietest member of their foursome spoke up, “We will get to it when we get to it . . . Connie.” Nia Chen fixed her dark eyes on Conrad as she flipped back her blue-black hair, waiting for his comeback. She knew he hated being called “Connie” just as much as Andrea hated being called “Andy.” However, before Conrad could come up with a suitable comeback a very forceful throat clearing from their teacher got them all to return their attention to the tour guide.

“Several years later here on Earth, former Blue Turbo Ranger Justin Stewart began developing a morphing technology that, in 2023 would be used by Project: Lightspeed to create a team of Rangers to defeat the attempted demonic invasion of Mariner Bay. After the defeat of the demons the project’s commander, now promoted to Admiral William Mitchell, along with his son Ryan Mitchell, Lightspeed Titanium Ranger, and Carter Grayson, Lightspeed Red Ranger, began working with defense agencies here on Earth, as well as those on other planets, leading to the development of Space Patrol and Defense, more commonly known as SPD, founded in 2031. Acting as a police force in this half of the Galaxy, SPD and its Rangers have defended innocent lives against all manner of threats. The most famous of course being the team under the command of Anubis Cruger that defeated the Troobian invasion of 2092. Now please, enjoy the rest of your day here at the Angel Grove Power Ranger Museum.”

“Gods, I thought that would never end!” Tyler sighed as he, Andrea, Nia, and Conrad began to wander through the rest of the museum.

“Ty, what is your problem?” asked a very frustrated Andrea.

“Yeah Ty, you’ve seemed on edge ever since we found out about this field trip,” chimed in Nia.

“Try for the last couple of months,” added Conrad.

Tyler stopped and sighed. “Guys, you just don’t understand. It was bad enough when it was just my dad as a Weapons and Tactics instructor at the Academy. Every time a Ranger squad with any member he has trained shows up on a webcast all I hear about is how he taught them this move or that. Then he’ll launch into another round of what it will be like when I go to the Academy. When Kris got accepted, it only got worse. Now that Kris has made active Ranger status, it’s never ending. It’s like my dad and my brother have already written my future for me.”

“What about art school? Mr. Crrrrshkkkk seems to think you have a great chance,” Nia asked.

Andrea added, “Yeah, and it’s not like it’s easy to paint something that appeals to an Arichnian, with those eight eyes of theirs.”

“Yeah, like that would go over so well. ‘Dad, I have no interest in joining SPD, I want to go to art school.’ If it were still possible for people to have heart attacks that would definitely give him one.” Tyler looked at his friends and realized they all looked as depressed as he felt, out of not being able to help him. Just because he was a moody artist his friends didn’t have to share his bad mood. “Guys, thanks. Look, sorry I’m being a downer today. After all; we’re not in class, we’re hundreds of miles from NTC, and we’re surrounded by some really cool stuff. So, let’s try to enjoy it. Hey, there’s the weapons exhibit.”

****************************************

In a place illuminated solely by a putrid greenish-yellow light a dark, hulking figure sat brooding on a throne that appeared to be made from twisted, mutated plants with pieces of what may have been skeletons and technology mixed in. The figure was vaguely human shape. However, more was difficult to ascertain as all the shadows in the room seemed to gather around this figure. All that could really be seen were its glowing yellow-green eyes. It looked up at a nearby wall and more techno-mutant vines snaked around into a generally rectangular shape. A holographic image appeared in the open space, of the Ranger Museum in Angel Grove. In a deep, thick, growling voice the figure spoke, “I have always hated that museum. Malika, Crul.”

Two figures, male and female, entered the chamber. “Malika, are the Biodrones ready?”

The female stepped forward. Nearly six feet tall in her flared stiletto-heeled boots, she was dressed head to toe in black leather; bracers, bustier, and pants that were split and laced up along the sides of the legs. Her waist-length indigo hair was held back by a flared headpiece. “Yes, Master.” Her voice had a low, menacingly fluid quality to it.

“Crul.” The male stepped forward. He was nearly 6’ 2” and wore almost skin-tight, but highly flexible ebony armor with a skull motif on the chest-plate. His eyes and hair were hidden by the horned half-helm he wore, but the skin on his visible mouth and chin, where not covered by jet black goatee, was a pale blue. “You will take a squad of Biodrones and attack the Ranger Museum in Angel Grove. The Ranger’s response time between the New Tech City command center being alerted and airdropping in should give you 3.85 minutes to . . . amuse yourself. Once those SPD lapdogs appear, eliminate them.”

Crul bowed with a smirk and responded in a cold voice, “As you command, Master.”

**********************************************

Tyler was half looking at a display case of replica morphers, half listening to Andrea badger a tour robot with questions on the specific differences in the operations of the various morphers when the glass front wall of the museum exploded inward, the force knocking him into the display case, which shattered. Suddenly he heard Nia’s voice.

“Ty? Tyler! Come on! Wake up!”

“What?!” Tyler opened his eyes, and saw Nia, Andrea, and Conrad kneeling over him. They were all hunkered down behind the counter the morpher display had been setting on. That’s when he realized he could he hear the sounds of battle. “What’s going on?”

Conrad jumped in. “Some freak in black armor with all these weird purple and blue faceless guys showed up and started trashing the place. Then the Rangers showed up.” Tyler groaned internally . . . _“Big brother to the rescue, I’m never going to live this down,”,_ he thought. Then Conrad continued, “And now they’re getting their butts kicked.”

Tyler looked up, “What?!”

“Seriously. The Rangers are getting beat, bad.”

Tyler peeked around the counter, just in time to see the Blue SPD Ranger get blasted across the room into a display case full of mannequins in Zeo uniforms. He fell to the ground with a crash, his morph failing, unconscious. The Green Ranger ran over and took up a defensive position, only to be instantly jumped by four of the faceless blue and purple goons. He quickly saw that Conrad’s description didn’t really cover it . . . the blue and purple came from the fact that they looked to be covered in a full-body bruise. Tyler tensed as he watched the Green Ranger, his older brother Kris, be pounded on. Without realizing it, he had grabbed onto one of the scattered morphers from the destroyed display case . . . a replica of the Red Tyrannosaurus Morpher. Tyler’s anger only increased as a black blur appeared in front of Kris, revealing a black armor-clad man wielding a wicked looking sword. He backhanded Kris across the room. There was a sickening, audible crack as Kris hit one of the building’s support pillars. He landed, hard, on the floor, his morph failing. He didn’t move.

Tyler let out a choked “No” as the armored figure walked towards his brother, the other three SPD Rangers kept busy by the bruised-looking goons. He almost didn’t notice the red glow coming from under his hand until Nia said his name. Tyler looked down and realized what he was holding. The Tyrannosaurus Morpher was glowing with a red light. As Tyler looked it burst into flames, which promptly wrapped themselves around his left wrist, spreading out and in another red flash, leaving a silver bracelet, inscribed with a pattern of flames. Set in the center of the bracelet was a diamond shaped ruby. In the ruby itself seemed to float a symbol looked like a heart-shaped spark of flame.

Tyler turned around to his friends, only to discover they were having weird experiences of their own. A Zeonizer near Conrad glowed green and then burst into a million little stones, which wrapped around his wrist, becoming a silver bracelet like Tyler’s, this one carved with geometric patterns and set with a square emerald with a circle intersected by a square outline in it. A Turbo Morpher next to Andrea glowed yellow and became a yellow cloud shooting off little lightning bolts and left her with a bracelet carved with a cloud pattern, set with an oval topaz, in which was a pattern of three lightning-bolts spiraling around each other. Nia, seeing what happened with the others had picked up an Astro Morpher that had been nearby. It glowed blue, becoming water which snaked around her wrist. Her bracelet had a wave pattern, and a circular sapphire, the symbol in it a stylized raindrop becoming a wave.

Tyler started to ask, “What the . . .” when a voice spoke from Tyler’s bracelet,

“You know what, and what to do. Now, save the innocent and your fellow Rangers, my GeoForce.”

Tyler wanted to stop, to question, to protest. But something inside him wouldn’t let him. Then, suddenly, the image of the armored freak standing over his brother’s unconscious body popped into his head and Tyler stood up. In the few seconds the transformation from replicas to the bracelets took, the remaining three Rangers had been defeated and were lying unconscious and de-morphed on the floor around the main hall of the museum. The guy in the black armor was standing over Kris, his sword raised.

“Get the hell away from him!” Tyler shouted.

Crul turned; surprised to see it was a youth, not more than 14 or 15 who was foolish enough to order him about. He smiled cruelly. “Wait your turn boy. I’ll deal with you after I have finished dispatching these so-call Rangers.”

“I think you’ll want to deal with me now,” Tyler continued, hoping he sounded braver than he felt, but still listening to the voice inside. He felt, more than saw Nia, Conrad, and Andrea step up next to him.

“Oh,” said Crul lowering his sword, sounding amused, “and why would that be little one?”

Acting purely on instinct, Tyler shifted his weight left and forward, bring the bracelet out and up across his body. He sensed the others doing the same. “This is why. **Power of Fire!**”

Conrad, Andrea, and Nia immediately followed with; “**Power of Earth!” “Power of Air!” “Power of Water!**”

Red, green, yellow, and blue flashes enveloped the four and when they faded, there stood four new Power Rangers!

Crul took a step back. “What?!”

While a part of him asked what the heck he was doing, Tyler went into a pose, “GeoForce Red Ranger, the Heart of Fire!” He could see himself and his friends reflected in a sheet of glass behind Crul. His Ranger suit was black across the shoulders and chest, tapering to a point at his abdomen, with a white diamond surrounding the flame symbol on his chest. The rest of the suit was red. His gloves and boots were black, with a silver trim, and a red diamond set into each. The belt was black, with a circular silver buckle divided into four sections, each section inscribed with one of the symbols from the gems. His helmet was red with a black, angular visor, and a silver motif around the visor that suggested scalloped wings.

Conrad followed suit, saying, “GeoForce Green Ranger, the Strength of Earth!” Conrad’s suit’s black area squared off at the bottom with a white square framing his symbol, and green ones on the gloves and boots. The silver part of his helmet seemed to suggest horns. 

Andrea was next with, “GeoForce Yellow Ranger, the Force of Air!” Andrea’s yellow suit featured ovals on the gloves, boots, and around her symbol. The black portion of the suit tapering down her body in an ovoid shape. Her helmet detail looked like bird wings.

Nia closed it out saying, “GeoForce Blue Ranger, the Flowing of Water!” as she stood in her blue uniform, with its circles on gloves and boots and around the water symbol on her chest, surrounded by the rounded off black part of the suit. Her helmet seemed to feature either waves, or fins, Tyler couldn’t tell.

Crul shook himself and he recovered from his shock. “Five or nine, it doesn’t matter. I shall defeat you, and my Master shall remake the world in his image!” Raising his sword, Crul yelled a battle cry as he leapt at the new Rangers.


	2. As the World Turns - Sideways

Crul charged, swinging his sword intending to cleave the upstart Red Ranger who had challenged him in two. However, his slash was stopped cold by the staff the whelp now held in a block position, sparks flying as sword and staff met.

“Like my Geostaff?” the Red Ranger asked, his voice a mix of bravado and surprise. He sidestepped out of the block, spun, and knocked Crul back with a powerful blow to the jaw. “So do I!” 

Tyler couldn’t believe what was happening. Only moments ago he had been bored out of his mind. Now, he was not only wearing a Ranger suit, but fighting like one too. He had no idea how he knew how to do any of this, he felt like he was being guided by a kind of instinct, but so far it had been right so he kept going with it. He turned slightly to his three friends, “I’ll deal with sword boy; you guys cover the SPD Rangers.”

Conrad, Andrea, and Nia simultaneously responded with “Right” and moved to help the fallen Rangers. As soon as they did, the bruised looking goons attacked. 

Conrad had given up questioning what was going on the second after he morphed. _“Morphed,”_ he thought, _“I morphed! How cool is that!”_ As the bruised looking minions attacked, he reveled in the strength he now possessed. He thought he could almost feel raw power flowing up through the ground and into him. And he promptly put it to good use, grabbing the first goon that attacked him and using it to bash away the few standing over the SPD Red and Yellow Rangers. Unfortunately, the goons got back up. Sudden inspiration struck Conrad and he knelt and punched the floor. A shockwave blast of green energy erupted from where fist met floor and slammed into the Biodrones, and a half dozen of them exploded into blue and purple goo which then vaporized.

Several Biodrones had picked up the SPD Pink Ranger and appeared to be preparing to finish her off . . . until in a series of back flips Andrea dropped herself right on top of them. Always the bookish one, preferring research to doing any more physical activity than what was medically advised for a girl her age, Andrea was amazed at her joy at the pure physicality of being a Ranger. Two swift side kicks got the drones to back off the Pink Ranger, as with a thought Andrea summoned her Geostaff. Although she had never used the weapon before it felt like a part of her. Observing Conrad’s shockwave trick, Andrea concentrated and her Geostaff electrified. Now each strike dispatched a goon. Andrea was quickly alone, standing over the unconscious form of the fallen Ranger.

Nia moved like a dancer, her every move flowing and graceful. She had studied martial arts since she was a child but had never experienced this level of flexibility and speed. A fist came at her face and Nia dodged by bending in half backwards. She shot up as the fist passed over her, a backhand blow knocking the attacking Biodrone to the ground. There were Biodrones standing over both the Blue and Green SPD Rangers, who were nearly 30 feet apart. Suddenly Nia realized that she could feel water flowing under her feet. She looked in the direction she felt the water flowing, and in the distance saw the fountain at the center of the Aquitarian Ranger exhibit. She reached out with her mind, felt the water, took hold of it . . . and suddenly the pipe burst up out of the floor. As water sprayed out of it Nia split the stream in half, washing away the Biodrones standing over the two fallen Rangers. The drones were blasted away . . . those caught in the full force of the stream vaporized. The few that survived were smoking and marked with gouges where the water had run down their bodies. Within seconds Nia finished off the remainder with more focused blasts of water, before the automatic systems shut off the water flow.

While the others protected the SPD Rangers, Tyler faced off against Crul. Sparks flew as sword and Geostaff met again and again. Though he would never admit it out loud, at that moment Tyler was thankful for the combat drills his father had forced him to run since he was little. But he could also feel something extra coming from deep within him, turning his somewhat passable skills into those of an expert. However, it was obvious that Crul was an expert as well and was also amazingly agile in that armor. Crul and Tyler found themselves at another stalemate, sword against staff, muscles tense, jockeying for control of the break. Crul lashed out with a kick, knocking Tyler back, simultaneously slashing across his chest, sending sparks flying.

“Crul shall not be defeated by some upstart whelp of a Ranger!”

Tyler held his hand to his chest where Crul slashed him. The blow did not pierce the Ranger suit but hurt, nonetheless. “Great Gods! You mean bad guys really do refer to themselves in the third person during a fight? I always thought that was something they made up to make history holos more exciting.”

Crul roared and trust his sword forward. A blast of dark indigo energy erupted from the tip of the sword. Tyler flipped out of the way and the blast disintegrated a wall behind where he had been standing. He looked at the wall, then back at Crul.

“Not bad. Here, try my brand!” As Tyler spoke he whipped his right hand forward in a throwing motion. A blazing fireball launched from his hand and hit Crul squarely in the chest, knocking him back several feet.

Crul straightened, and as he did so he noticed that all the Biodrones had been destroyed and that the other Rangers were advancing on him, Geostaffs drawn. He went into a stance and prepared himself to battle four-on-one. However, as he braced himself his Master’s voice interrupted over the comm-link in his helmet, “Crul, withdraw.”

“But Master, I can . . .” Crul began to protest through the sub-vocal microphone at his throat.

“Now.”

“As you command, Master.” Crul straightened and out loud said, “Another day . . . Rangers,” he spat out the word, “But you have not seen the last of Crul!” With that he disappeared in a flash of black and indigo light.

The other three new Rangers ran over to Tyler. Andrea immediately asked, “Okay, now can someone tell me what’s going on?” Before any of her friends could answer however, they were all enveloped in shafts of colored light, and vanished.


	3. Finally, Some Explanations

Four shafts of colored light deposited the new Rangers in a dimly lit chamber. They looked around for a moment, and then Andrea broke the silence.

“Okay, ignore my last question, because I’ve got a new one. Where are we?”

A soft, yet strong feminine voice responded from the shadows, “You are where you belong.”

The four looked in the direction the voice came from.

“That voice. You’re the one that spoke to us through the bracelets. You’re the one that told us to morph,” said Tyler.

"Yes.” At this, the room was filled with soft, warm light. It was a chamber that seemed to be carved from the rock. Along the walls, roots and fragrant vines crawled. Behind the Rangers a small waterfall cascaded down a wall and into a pool. The floor was composed of what appeared to be gray slate tiles, except in the center, where a colorful medallion, matching their belt buckles was set. Beyond that, several clear, crystalline formations rose up out of the floor before a blank wall. In the center of these stood a diminuative figure in silver and black robes, the face completely concealed in the shadows of a hood. “Welcome to the Sanctuary, my Geo-Force. You may call me Grandmother.”

************************************************************

Crul knelt before his Master’s throne, head down in shame, sword at the Master’s feet . . . should he choose to use it on Crul as punishment for his failure. Malika stood to the side of the throne, leaning one arm on it, the other on her hip, a cold smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. The Master’s yellow-green eyes regarded Crul.

“Rise, my servant.”

Crul looked up. Even with how little of his expression his helm revealed, his surprise was evident in his voice. “Master?”

“You did not fail me. I sent you to destroy the SPD Rangers, which you had nearly accomplished until those four interlopers appeared. When one Ranger was strong enough to hold their own against you, I decided to have you withdraw when the advantage turned against you. The mere fact that your sword was unable to break this new Red Ranger’s weapon or to pierce his armor suggests that an adversary capable of standing against us may have manifested.”

Crul was now on his feet. “Master, I shall allow nothing to stand in the way of your plans!”

“I know Crul. However, the power of these new Rangers seems very different from that of the SPD Rangers. Review all the data recorded by the Biodrones, present your analysis within a day. Malika,” the Master now turned his glowing gaze to the leather-clad woman at his side, “search all available sources, find any reference to these . . .” The Master waved a hand, and several of the mutated, mechanized vines formed the outline of a screen, in which was displayed the sigils of the four Rangers. 

********************************************************

The commander of SPD Terran Division strode into the remains of the Angel Grove Ranger Museum. His long, strong strides caused the long coat of his uniform to trail out behind him. He quickly negated the salute his presence on-site would normally illicit with an authoritative “As you were.” The Commander usually loved the formal rituals of SPD command, but there was no time for it today. An entire squad of Alpha-grade Rangers . . . his hand-picked Alpha squad, had been completely taken out in less than two minutes. The Commander had already spoken with the med-techs; Zell and Lopez, the Red and Yellow Rangers, had severe concussions; Torres, the Pink Ranger, had both legs and her wrist broken; Andersen, the Blue Ranger, had no less than six broken ribs and severe muscular and sub-dermal bruising; and Forge, the Green Ranger, his entire left shoulder was little more than bone fragments at this point. At least they were all alive. With current medical technology, especially that available to SPD, they would all recover completely but would be out of commission for weeks. The Commander put aside thoughts of contingencies as he reached the Investigation Team’s leader, Lieutenant Morv. The Noctranian’s large and sensitive ears swiveled around as he heard the Commander’s footsteps, the rest of the head following.

The lieutenant acknowledged his superior with a simple “Commander Tate.”

“Morv,” Commander Sky Tate returned with a nod. “Report.”

Morv sighed, “Things are still a bit scattered at this point. The blast that took out the front wall also knocked out most of the internal surveillance monitors. We’ll recover what data we can and download it to the SPD mainframe for analysis. I’m also having all the tour guides rounded up and their memory files downloaded, even from the damaged ones. We’re interviewing witnesses, but you know how reliable that is. Plus, once the attack started the tour guides’ emergency programs kicked in and they evaced the patrons. The Rangers’ morphers have already been secured and sent back to Command for telemetry download . . . hopefully that will tell us something useful.”

The former Blue Ranger hoped his officer was right.

**************************************************

“Grandmother? Sanctuary? What in Hades is going on here?!” Tyler snapped, ending the silence that claimed the four after the lights turned on.

The cloaked figure who identified herself as Grandmother chuckled softly. “Strength, passion, and a bit of a temper . . . no great surprise that the Spirits of Fire chose you as their champion Tyler.

Tyler seemed about ready to lose it; Andrea put her hands on his chest and spoke in a calmer voice. “I’m sorry, um, Grandmother. But we’re just a little confused about what’s going on. Everything’s happened so fast. Who, what, are you, exactly? What’s this . . . you called it Sanctuary?”

Suddenly, Nia de-morphed and looking directly at Grandmother spoke in a soft voice, full of wonder, “She’s a Guardian.” When her friends helmeted heads turned towards her, Nia continued, “Like Zordon, or Dimetria. A Guardian of the Grid.”

“Intuitive and calming . . . the Spirit of Water truly lives in you Nia. However,” Grandmother continued, “I am not a Guardian of the whole Grid, just those aspects that relate to the Earth. Please, my GeoForce, power down and I will explain everything.”

When the other three new Rangers had complied, Grandmother seemed to collect herself, and then began; “As you know, the Universe has often been confronted by forces bent on destruction, death, and dominion. In response the Universe has brought forth Rangers, in various forms, to confront evil. Earth has been home to a greater Ranger legacy than perhaps any other world . . . but in all cases the power those Rangers wielded has had origins that are not of the Earth . . . which has been fine, when the threat Earth has faced has come from without. However, now we face an enemy whose origins and powers are completely of the Earth. Or perhaps it is better I say a corruption of the Earth’s power.” Suddenly, the crystals at the other side of the room began to glow softly. Images appeared on the blank wall behind them. Several of them were of the bruised looking goons. “These are called Biodrones. They are a mingling of nanotechnology, cybernetics, and mutated plant tissue. They serve as our enemy’s foot soldiers, much like Krybots, but they have more in common with an orange-head model in terms of strength and intelligence than the basic unit.” The images changed to that of Crul. “The one who identified himself as Crul. His basic genetic makeup is human. However, it has also been extensively altered through a combination of nanotechnology and mutated plant genes. Before Crul retreated, I also detected a scrambled transmission. It was too short to decode, but I can only assume that Crul serves another who has yet to reveal him or herself”

“But where do we come into all of this?” asked Andrea.

Before Grandmother could answer, Conrad, who had long been quiet, stated matter-of-factly, “We have to stop whomever Crul works for.”

“What about SPD?” Tyler asked, the edge still in his voice.

Grandmother spoke again, her voice still calm, “SPD is insufficient to defeat this foe. Their power based as it is solely on technology is not up to this task. I have no doubt that they would develop a way to prevail, given enough time. But we do not have that time. The attack on the museum appears to have been specifically intended to draw out the SPD Alpha squad in order to kill them. You stopped Crul and saved the Alpha squad’s lives.”

“Yeah. But why us?” Tyler asked.

“Can you not answer that for yourself, Tyler? You more than any should be able to, as I can sense you were raised in the Old Ways of the Earth and Nature. Didn’t you feel it the moment the morpher manifested?” Grandmother asked.

For the first-time all-day Tyler stopped. He breathed and calmed his mind, just as he had always been taught . . . up until the day his mother died. He, his brother, and father had all lapsed a bit after she died, but now Tyler found himself easily reaching for the lessons she taught him and that’s when he found the answer, almost like it had been written into the core of his being. “The Earth chose us.”

A smile could almost be seen in the shadows of Grandmother’s hood. “Yes. Our enemy perverts the substance and power of the Earth, so only that same power in its pure form can defeat it. The power of the fundamental elements of nature. Tyler, passionate and creative, you are the Red Ranger of Fire. Nia, intuitive and compassionate, you are the Blue Ranger of Water. Conrad, stable and strong of conviction, the Green Ranger of Earth. And lastly Andrea, intelligent and inventive, the Yellow Ranger of Air. The Earth Herself has chosen you as Her Champions. May the Power guide and protect you.”


	4. Deceit

Grandmother teleported the Rangers into a copse of trees in the gardens behind the Ranger Museum. It wasn’t long before an SPD officer spotted them. Fast-thinking Andrea quickly came up with a cover story for how they got there, saying that one of the tour guide drones had gotten them out a back exit when the trouble started and that they had been hiding until they saw SPD officers. That seemed to defuse any questions and they were quickly re-united with their class. Andrea conveyed the same story to their teacher, who also seemed to buy it. Andrea wasn’t thrilled with using her credibility with the teachers to lie to them. None of the Rangers liked the idea of lying, but Grandmother had insisted that until they knew more about the enemy they faced, concealing their identities was a necessity.

Of course, having to lie also meant the four had to go through the same procedures that everyone else who had been in the museum did. So after being checked over by the med-techs, apparently morphing had healed the bump to the head Tyler had received, they were also questioned briefly by a forensic investigator. All four stuck to their story that there had been an explosion, they hid until one of the tour drones got them out, and that they really didn’t see much.

They thought they were in the clear until Tyler spotted Commander Tate, who was talking on his communicator and suddenly looked right at him. Tyler groaned. He groaned again when the Commander of SPD started walking towards him, continuing to talk into his Patrol Unit. The Commander’s long strides covered the distance in seconds. He stopped stiffly and said “Tyler Forge?”

“Yes, sir?” Tyler swallowed hard. There was something that always unnerved Tyler about Commander Tate’s piercing blue eyes and highly arched eyebrows.

“I have someone here who would like to speak with you.” Commander Tate handed Tyler the multi-function device.

Tyler tried to clear his throat and finally croaked out “Hello?”

His father’s voice came nearly yelling out of the communicator, “Tyler?! Thank the Gods! Are you all right?!”

“Yeah Dad, I’m fine.”

“Stay right where you are. I’m on my way to Angel Grove now to pick you up. ETA 5 minutes.”

Tyler now turned bright red. He could hear classmates snickering . . . even Commander Tate had something of a smirk on his face. “Dad, I’m fine. I can take the bus back to New Tech and then walk home. You don’t have to come get me.”

“Negative son. Stay right there. That’s an order. Out.” The communicator shut off. Tyler turned even redder. Commander Tate rested a hand on Tyler’s shoulder, his expression softening.

“No need to be embarrassed son. When I was a bit younger than you I fell at school and broke my arm. They called my father, who then showed up at the school morphed. His armor was still smoking from the fight with the crook he just arrested. Dads are just like that, especially when they’re cops.”

Tyler’s face cooled a bit. “Thanks, um, Commander Tate. Um, here,” Tyler handed the Patrol Unit back.

When Tyler’s father, Lieutenant Aaron Forge, arrived the assembled SPD officers parted for him without question. Most of the SPD personnel present had received Lt. Forge’s tutelage while at the academy, so knew who he was. His status as an Alpha squad Ranger’s father was also known. And news that his younger son had been onsite for a field trip had spread quickly. So everyone basically got the hell out of his way. Even Commander Tate merely stepped aside as the elder Forge wrapped his son in a fierce bear-hug. Tyler embarrassedly returned his father’s hug, but after a moment started to push away.

“Dad. Dad! I need to breathe here!”

Still holding his son’s shoulders, Aaron pushed Tyler back to arms length and seemed to check over every inch of the boy. Although he was looking at his son, Aaron’s next question was directed at his Commander. “Med-techs check him out?”

Given the circumstances, Sky ignored the breach of SPD protocol with something of a smirk. “He’s been given a clean bill of health Aaron,” he said, switching to the more empathetic, familiar mode of address . . . Syd and Z would have been proud of him. His heart truly did go out to the seasoned SPD officer. Sky had just been promoted to Commander when Forge’s wife Anya, a civilian working for SPD as a Community Liaison was killed. And he felt a certain amount of kinship with young Tyler. Sky’s own mother had been highly protective of him after his father died, as had many of the senior SPD officers when Sky joined the academy.

Aaron Forge, however, suddenly seemed to realize how he had addressed his Commander and been addressed in return. His professional demeanor re-asserted itself, and he turned at attention to Commander Tate. “Thank you, Commander. If my son has been cleared from the scene, I’d like to take him home, with your permission.”

Sky put his professional face back on, and replied, “Permission granted. It shouldn’t be too hard for forensics to get a hold of him if they need anymore from Tyler.” To Tyler he said, “Take care of yourself son. We wouldn’t want to see anything happen to you before you got to the Academy.”

Tyler smiled stiffly and said thank you, while internally groaning at yet another reminder of the “great plan” for his life. However, as he turned to say goodbye to his friends he realized that the plan may very well have been thrown off, since he was already a Ranger. He promised to call Andrea, Nia, and Conrad that night, before his father dragged him to their car.

Once in the vehicle, Tyler turned to his father, “Dad, how’s Kris?”

The older Forge was silent.

“Dad, there were rumors flying everywhere around there that Kris’ team got hurt, bad” continued Tyler, keeping the fact that he saw his brother go down with his own eyes to himself.

Aaron Forge sighed. “He’s in the med-unit at Headquarters. He’s stable, but still unconscious last I checked. The doctors wouldn’t tell me anything more.”

“What? You couldn’t see him?”

“No. They weren’t allowing any visitors until the team woke up. And unlike cadets, I can’t threaten the doctors. Well, I can, but they just threaten me back with forced medical leave.”

“Oh,” was all Tyler responded, looking out the window as the hover car sped along. Out there, somewhere was Crul . . . and Tyler was going to do everything in his new-found power to make the blue-skinned freak pay for hurting his brother.

*********************************************************************

Twelve hours after the attack Crul had finished reviewing every shred of telemetry the Biodrones had recorded. The attack had gone perfectly. The SPD Rangers were no match for them. But those four . . . children, for Crul was now convinced they could be no older than 15, had destroyed his squad of Biodrones like they were old model Krybots. And that brat of a Red Ranger, how could a child be so powerful? But the answer was right there too, summed up in the three-word phrases spouted by each of the child Rangers: Flowing of Water; Force of Air; Strength of Earth; Heart of Fire. The Master would not be pleased.

Malika had searched through hundreds of databases, hacking into quite a few, finally finding what she sought in a digitized version of an ancient alchemical grimoire, one of the oldest such tomes in existence on Earth. Pictured were the four sigils the Master had shown her and an inscription. Upon running the translator Malika frowned deeply, for the inscription read: “The Sacred Sigils of the Four Great Spirits, whose Power and Essence are the Elements of Life and Creation.” The Master would not be pleased.


	5. It's Morphin' Time!

The day after the attack everyone from the field trip was given the day off from school, since by 6 AM three quarters of the parents had already called their children in sick, preferring to keep them close. Lt. Forge finally went to work . . . after ordering Tyler to stay home. As soon as his dad was gone Tyler called his friends. It took some doing, but their parents finally agreed to let Andrea, Nia, and Conrad to come over, apparently deciding the home of an SPD officer and a Ranger was perhaps even safer than their own homes. Especially given that the Forge home was quite literally across the street from the SPD Academy.

Once the four new Rangers were all gathered in the Forge home Tyler started, “Okay, just so we’re clear . . . this is all really happening, right?”

Conrad summed it all up with a concise, “Yep.”

Andrea and Nia laughed, then sobered. “So, what now?” Andrea asked. 

No sooner was the question out of her mouth than the chronos they were all wearing began to beep. Tyler shot Andrea a dark look as she just shrugged. He lifted his wrist to his face and pressed the button on it that activated the special comm functions. “Um, Tyler here. Go ahead.”

Grandmother’s voice came over the channel. “Rangers, I have detected Biodrones in downtown Mariner Bay. Morph and teleport there immediately.”

“Another Ranger landmark,” observed Nia.

“So it would appear. May the Power be with you, my GeoForce.”

“Thanks Grandmother, we’re on our way,” finished Tyler, closing the channel. Looking at his friends, his fellow Rangers he said, “Okay guys, here we go. I know I’m not usually a fan of history,” Tyler brought his chrono up, and in a flash of fire it transformed into the flame inscribed silver bracelet that was his Geomorpher, “but I think . . . **It’s Morphin’ Time!!!!**”

The other three Rangers jumped up, and summoned their morphers. “**Power of Fire!**” Flames licked across Tyler’s body, wrapping him in the armor of the Red Geo Ranger. “**Power of Earth!**” Conrad’s body seemed to turn to stone, which, in an emerald flash softened, revealing the Green Geo Ranger. “**Power of Air!**” Clouds and lighting flashes swirled around Andrea, and when they cleared, she was garbed as the Yellow Geo Ranger. “**Power of Water!**” Glowing water washed across Nia’s form, leaving in its wake the armor of the Blue Geo Ranger.

Red, green, yellow, and blue shafts of light deposited the four Rangers in a square in the downtown shopping district of Mariner Bay. People were running in mass confusion, and it was easy to tell why. Dozens of Biodrones were present, chasing people, destroying everything else. Tyler yelled, “Let’s get ‘em Rangers!”

The four Rangers split up and began pounding Biodrones with fists, kicks, Geostaffs, and power blasts. 

Conrad cornered a half dozen, his fist glowed green as he yelled “Terra Crush!” and, punching the ground, destroyed the Biodrones with a shock wave of energy. 

Nia executed a series of back flips, getting herself ahead of several Biodrones that were chasing a group of civilians. She pointed, her hand glowing blue, and with a command of “Hydro Burst!” a nearby drinking fountain burst open, water shooting out at incredibly high force, slicing through the Biodrones.

A crowd of Biodrones gathered around Andrea. She leapt into the air and seemed to hover there while she cried “Aero Shock!” Lightning bolts leapt from her glowing hands and stuck two Biodrones, which then arced to two more, and then two more, creating a circuit of electrocuted minions.

Tyler worked his way through a double line of Biodrones with a series of flip-kicks. He landed just beyond them. As he spun to face them, a fireball launched from his glowing hands with the command of “Flame Strike!” The fire ball exploded in the midst of the drones, sending the creatures flying.

******************************

The alarms had sounded in SPD Command the moment the first Biodrone appeared on the Mariner Bay security network. Commander Sky Tate strode into the Command Center and barked “Report!” at the officer manning the central podium.

“Marnier Bay security net is reporting an attack on Sector 12C, the downtown shopping district, sir. Perpetrators match the description of the ones who attacked the museum yesterday,” the officer replied.

Tate cursed under his breath. “Have Beta Squad report to the flight deck for jump-jet . . .”

The officer at the monitoring station interrupted the order, “Sir, before you give the order, I think you should see this,” he said, bringing up a set of images . . . showing the GeoForce Rangers battling the Biodrones.

Tate studied the images on the screen. He hadn’t been in the Command Center when the alarm went off because he had been in Lt. Morv’s office going over the preliminary analysis of the museum attack. They had been interrupted by the alarm, but Morv had already made it a point to show the Commander some of the security footage they had recovered . . . footage which showed this same foursome rescuing his Alpha squad.

The monitor officer interjected, “Sir, who are they? They look like Rangers, but we don’t have anything like their armor style or markings on record.”

“So it would appear Technician.” Commander Tate paused for a moment and then continued, “Belay my last orders. Beta Squad to standby. Continue to monitor . . . and record everything. They appear to be Rangers but until I know more, I’m not about to have us let our guard down.”

***************************

Conrad, Nia, and Andrea gathered around Tyler, who had the last remaining Biodrone up against a wall. It was missing an arm, and a putrid, gelatinous black-green substance was oozing from the wound. Tyler slammed the creature against the wall and shouted “Where’s Crul?”

Andrea was about to ask Tyler how he expected the drone to answer, considering it didn’t have a mouth, when they were surrounded by explosions which sent the four Rangers flying, landing gracelessly on their backs. A strange, hissing voice said, “Crul couldn’t make it today, ssso he asssked me to entertain you.”

The Rangers looked up to see that the voice belonged to a humanoid creature that looked like a cross between some kind of vine and a snake. They rose to their feet. “Who, what are you?” Conrad asked.

“I am Ivaconda. But you can jussst call me death!” Ivaconda opened its mouth wide as it finished speaking and fired a burst of fang-shaped energy pulses. The Rangers flipped and jumped out of the way.

“What is this thing?!” Andrea yelled.

“A monster,” replied Nia, somewhat calmly.

“Great, Ranger cliché number one. What do we do about it?” added Tyler.

“Hit it until it falls down and goes boom,” Conrad finished.

Grandmother broke in over their helmet comms, “Conrad is correct. This creature is not truly alive. It’s a cybernetic AI wrapped in mutated plant and snake tissue. Do not hold back my Rangers.”

The Rangers threw everything they had at Ivaconda. Pounding the monster with fists, feet, Geostaffs and power blasts, and while it did seem to take some damage, it dished out far more to the Rangers.

The Rangers gathered, clutching smoking areas of their armor. “This is so not working,” Tyler groaned.

Ivaconda laughed in a hissing voice. “Sssurrender Rangersss, and I’ll make your deathsss quick, and relatively painlessssss.”

“Ideas?” Tyler asked. But before the other Rangers could answer Grandmother came over the helmet comms again. “Rangers, clear your minds and you will know what to do.”

The Rangers did as instructed, and suddenly they straightened. Conrad’s voice conveyed the smile that had spread across his face under his helmet, “Oh, I have **so** been waiting for this!”

“Ready to die Rangersss?”

Tyler answered Ivaconda. “Not today, scaly. We’re ready to do this . . . Call on your weapons!”

The four Rangers put their hands together. As each drew their hands apart, light in their Ranger colors stretched out between them. And in sudden flashes, each Ranger was holding their new Power Weapons.

Tyler swung the sword he was holding and went into a guard position. “Inferno Sword!”

Conrad hefted a large war hammer. “Quake Hammer!”

Andrea spun twin sai in her hands. “Tornado Sai!”

Nia twirled a bladed lance. “Tsunami Lance!”

Ivaconda took a step back as the Rangers charged him. They again felt like they were all acting on pure instinct. The monster fired, but Tyler swatted the blasts out of the air with his sword. He leapt, flipping up and over Ivaconda . . . leaving the monster open to being hit by Andrea’s flying sais. Not leaving the creature anytime to recover, Nia jumped in and hit it with a series of spinning blows from her lance. Ivaconda tried to retaliate, but Nia back flipped away as Conrad somersaulted in under her and, as he leapt up, knocked the monster back with an uppercut blow from his hammer.

Ivaconda got back on its feet, only to find the Rangers standing together, weapons at the ready. Conrad said, “Finish it off, Tyler.”

Tyler responded, “All right.” He held out his sword and ran his hand along the blade, commanding “Inferno Sword, full power!” The blade glowed red and flames danced around it. Tyler ran at Ivaconda who tried to throw up a futile defense, but Tyler closed the distance and, with a powerful downward strike, slashed right through the monster. Tyler turned and strode away as Ivaconda fell back and exploded. The four Rangers then teleported away.

In his hidden lair, Crul and Malika’s master watched a vid feed of Ivaconda being destroyed. His yellow-green eyes glowed. “Interesting,” he growled, “very interesting.”


	6. Discovery

The Rangers teleported into Sanctuary, demorphing as the materialized. “That was absolutely amazing! Those new weapons rock!” exclaimed Conrad.

“Yeah, I couldn’t believe how natural my sais felt in my hands. Normally, I can barely use a kitchen knife,” added Andrea.

“Staff is my weapon kata,” commented Nia, “but I’ve never been as skilled as I was with my lance today.”

Tyler was quiet.

Grandmother entered from a vine-concealed doorway the Rangers had not noticed yesterday. “The Power grants you all the skills you need to fulfill your role as Rangers. Just be cautious, my GeoForce, as some of those skills will carry over into your civilian lives and may give you away, as do other aspects of being a Ranger.”

Andrea, always the inquisitive one asked, “Like what, Grandmother?” 

“For one thing, you will find you heal faster from injury.” She looked in Tyler’s direction. “Why so quiet, Tyler? You did well against your first monster.”

Tyler responded in a soft, cold voice, “Crul wasn’t there.”

“And so, you felt you missed an opportunity to avenge the injury done to your brother?”

Tyler’s response was angrier now, “Yes! That freak nearly kills my brother and then sends some reject from a bad horror movie after us! What’s up with that?!”

Grandmother’s voice was calm. “Crul serves another . . . if Crul is still alive.”

Tyler suddenly calmed down. “What?”

“The forces of evil are not known for their tolerance for failure. However, I believe that Crul was ordered to retreat yesterday, so it is likely you will face him again. However, his unseen master likely sent the monster.” Grandmother walked over to Tyler and placed a gloved hand on his shoulder. “Tyler, I once knew another young Ranger who had a vendetta with a minion of evil. You remind me of him a great deal, actually. That vendetta nearly destroyed him, as it made him reckless where his enemy was concerned. Do not repeat his mistakes.”

Nia and Andrea both caught the comment about knowing another Ranger, but before they could jump in with questions Grandmother turned to them and said, “You did well my Rangers, but now we must get you home before you are missed.” With that the four Rangers were teleported back to the Forge home.

**********************

Commander Sky Tate watched the whole fight between Ivaconda and the four . . . Rangers did seem to be the only thing call them, unfold. Then, even more shockingly, the four seemed to teleport away. Sky looked at the technician standing next to him at the command console, “Was that . . .?”

The technician checked several readouts, “Yes sir. Teleportation pulse confirmed. Eltaran type.”

“Eltaran . . .?” No one had seen Eltaran technology on Earth since the Second Galactic War. Most of the Eltarans were wiped out in Dark Specter’s attack on their world. After Zordon’s sacrifice the survivors had returned to Eltar and it had become a cloistered world. Sky pulled himself from his thoughts and started giving orders, “I want forensics, a clean up crew, and the Beta squad onsite now. I don’t want a single molecule left unexamined.”

The senior cadet manning the comm station relayed his orders, and then turned back, “Commander Tate, I have Medical for you. Torres and Forge are awake.” She looked visibly relieved. Rangers getting hurt always seemed to be an emotional blow to the cadets.

Sky repressed his relieved smile, staying all business, “Tell Medical I’m on my way. Signal Lieutenants Morv and Forge to meet me there.” The cadet saluted as Sky turned and left the Command Center.

*******************

In the medical bay, Forge and Torres were awake and lucid; the skeletal regenerators both of them were wearing would rebuild the damaged bone tissue and were acting to suppress their pain impulses. After letting his Rangers know he was glad to see them awake and that he was not disappointed, indicting that it had been determined that they were severely out gunned, Commander Tate left Morv to collect their reports and for them to be able to see their families. 

When Morv finished up, Aaron Forge sat at his eldest son’s bedside. “How are you feeling Kris?”

“Fine, Dad . . . if you don’t count the numb area where my left arm and shoulder are supposed to be.”

“Well, the doctors say your shoulder was pretty much shattered, so they’ve got the regenerator’s nerve block set on max.”

“Yeah, I know. I guess I came out light. Torres has to wear three of the things. She can’t even feed herself now, and I thought she was a messy eater before.”

For across the room the Alpha Squad Pink-5 Ranger, Bethany Torres yelled, “I heard that Forge! Just you wait until I get out of here!!!” She made as if to grab for a pillow to throw at him, but between her hands not responding and her mother holding her back, she failed.

The senior Forge looked across the room at his son’s teammate. “Wow, being injured seems to have taken a toll on her.”

“Bethany?” Kris responded, “Nah, she’s always like that. Anyway, how’s Tyler? I was worried, wasn’t he supposed to at the museum on a field trip?”

“He’s fine. He said a tour guide drone got him and his friends out when the fight started.” Aaron paused, “I think I may have embarrassed him in front of his class and Commander Tate.”

Kris rolled his eyes, “Dad, what did you do?”

“Well, when I heard you were hurt at the museum, I raced over there to find your brother.”

“And when you found him, proceeded to smother him in public.”

“No. Well, um, yeah. It’s just; I worry about your brother. He’s been so distant ever since your mom died. And he seems so hostile towards SPD sometimes.”

“Yeah, last time I mentioned he’d be able to take the Academy entrance exam this year he stormed out of the room. I think he blames SPD for Mom’s death. And I doubt me being hurt is going to improve his opinion any.”

The elder Forge looked at his son strangely for a moment, and then said “You remind me so much of your mother sometimes. She could read people like that.”

Kris smiled a bit, “Thanks, but it’s not that hard to read Ty . . . he really doesn’t hide his feelings all that well.” Kris paused for a moment before continuing, knowing he was about to tread into dangerous waters, “Actually, that’s one of the reasons I’m starting to think the Academy wouldn’t be a good idea for Ty.”

Aaron looked at his oldest son for a moment with a slightly shocked expression, and then his eyes wandered to the skeletal regenerator strapped to Kris’ shoulder and his expression softened. He patted Kris on the knee and, apparently deciding that Kris was still a little out of it from his injuries, said, “Nonsense. Once Tyler’s here he’ll see the Academy’s the perfect place for a Forge.”

Out loud Kris responded, “Sure, Dad.” Internally he sighed and thought, “_Okay, plan B._”


	7. Report

The next few days were quiet. The other three SPD Rangers regained consciousness and there were no new attacks. The four new Rangers frequently checked in with Grandmother, especially Nia and Andrea, who repeatedly tried to get their mentor engaged in conversation to try to follow up on her comment about knowing other Rangers, but with no luck.

At SPD headquarters, Morv had finally been able to complete his forensic analysis with the reports from the now conscious Alpha squad members. He met with Commander Tate in the Commander’s private office. Morv inserted a data card into the slot on the Commander’s desk and the holo-presentation began.

“Well, as you already know Commander, the front wall of the Angel Grove Ranger Museum was breached at 13:12:34 with a force that initiated automatic Ranger response. Alpha Squad arrived on scene at 13:15:05 . . . nearly a minute faster than they should have been able to. I discovered some non-standard modifications had been made to the Alpha Squad jump ship’s propulsion system.”

Commander Sky Tate smiled grimly, “I’ll check with Boom, make sure he was involved. If he was, I don’t see any problem.”

“Nor do I, sir. Continuing; Ranger reports, morpher telemetry and the little we’ve been able to get from the museum’s security system confirms that the Rangers witnessed this individual,” several images of Crul appeared, “and two dozen of these creatures,” images of the Biodrones appeared, “attacking the museum. Alpha squad reports that this armored suspect identified himself as Crul. These others appear to be some sort of foot soldier. Correlating locations from the video we do have we identified a strange organic substance where several of these things fell.”

“Strange how?” Sky inquired.

“The trace was highly degraded; from the snippets of video we do have it appears these things vaporize when they take too much damage, but it came back as an organic compound, containing cellulose, which suggests them being plant based, but also high quantities of silicates. We’ve found nothing that we can connect to Crul. However, based on the actions of the subjects after the arrival of the Alpha squad, we have reason to believe this attack was staged to draw the squad into a fight.”

Sky was scrolling through a readout on a smaller screen on his desk. “I have to concur. It appears that all their forces refocused on the Rangers once they arrived. Had they been after the museum itself, they likely would have divided their forces. What about these new Rangers?”

All the images changed to rather fuzzy snippets from the museum of the new Rangers in action against the Crul and the Bio-drones. Four other holos popped up, showing static model rotations of the Rangers.

“I used the data from the Mariner Bay incident to compile these models so we could get a better idea of what these four looked like.”

“I’m less interested in what they look like than how they were able to defeat those things and Crul when they handed our Rangers their butts,” commented Sky.

“Then . . . perhaps you can ask them sir.”

“What do you mean Morv?”

Morv pressed a series of buttons on his pad and a holo of the museum floor plan came up. “Well Commander, correlating all the data that we were able to pull from the museum security cameras, the new Rangers appeared here,” a dot appeared on the holo just in front of the Morpher exhibit. “We found two things in that area which contradict other information we received.”

“Go on,” urged Sky.

“We found a trace of human blood here,” a spot appeared behind the Morpher exhibit. “We also found a tour guide drone that was disabled in the initial seconds of the attack here,” another spot appeared in the same general vicinity, “its memory was intact, and we were able to download it. That drone has the last records of Tyler Forge and his friends Andrea Eastman, Conrad Mason, and Nia Chen. The only other drones that recorded any contact with them were well before the attack.”

“Alright. But they’re young. Under that kind of stress, I think we can forgive them fudging some details.”

“I would sir,” continued Morv, “except for the blood trace. We had no direct genetic match in the system, but the trace came back for two paternal and one sibling matches . . . from the SPD personnel registry.

“What? Who were the matches?”

Morv seemed to collect himself for a moment. “Aaron, Anya, and Kristof Forge.”

“The blood trace was Tyler’s?” Sky asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice. “I saw him onsite, he didn’t have a scratch on him.”

“Yes sir and your observations are confirmed by the med-tech report. When Tyler was seen after the incident, he was without injury. There’s something else, that without this other data I would consider circumstantial, but Tyler and his friends comprise a foursome of two males, and two females. And, based on the data regarding our unknown Rangers from the museum attack and the Mariner Bay incident, they appear to be comprised of two males and two females. Sir, I believe that Tyler Forge and his friends are these new Rangers and that they lied to our investigators.”

Sky sat back in his chair and seemed lost in thought, then he mumbled “Eltaran teleportation.”

“Excuse me sir?” Morv asked. Even though his acute Noctranian hearing enabled him to understand even mumbling perfectly well, asking someone to speak more clearly was a human nicety he had picked up during his years on Earth.

Sky looked up, “Eltaran teleportation. When these new Rangers left Mariner Bay they teleported out. The city’s security net recorded the energy signature and our systems confirmed that it matched Eltaran standard.”

“I’m not sure I follow sir.”

“After the war with Dark Specter, when most of the old Rangers went public with their identities, they all indicated that one of Zordon’s policies was that they kept their identities a secret. It was because he recruited them in their teens, and still wanted them to be able to live as close to normal lives as possible, without the pressure of being public. I know that public scrutiny was hell on my team while we were fighting the Troobians, given that we went from cadets to Rangers without the transition of even an Academy graduation. Watching us deal with that is the very reason High Commander Cruger instituted the policy that all Ranger candidates must have a year of patrol duty post Academy graduation, to learn how to deal with life in the public eye.”

“Sir, if it is Tyler and his friends, I can understand not wanting to subject them to the pressure of the public. But, can we really allow them to act as Rangers unsupervised?”

“That’s just it Morv . . . I don’t think they’re unsupervised.”

“Based on what Commander?”

“The teleportation. Despite everything the old Rangers revealed, there was one thing every single one of them took to their graves, the location of Zordon’s Command Center here on Earth. Even the former villains converted by the Zordon Wave, like Rita, Zedd, and Divatox kept that secret. There have always been rumors that Alpha-5 survived the war. And Alpha-6 simply vanished after the resettlement of Karovia began. And there are a few former Rangers for whom information regarding their lives after being Rangers is sketchy at best, even in the Archive.”

Morv seemed a little taken aback, “Sir, that is something of a severe intuitive leap.”

“I know Morv, but regardless I don’t want this getting out. Therefore all data pertaining to the possible identities of the unknown Rangers is classified under my authorization, as are the records of this briefing. I intend to follow up on this privately and quietly. Understood, Lieutenant?”

“Affirmative, sir.”

*****************************************************************************************

It was known affectionately around SPD headquarters and the Academy as The Plant. It had been a gift from Lieutenant Commander Sydney “Syd” Drew to Commander Tate in an attempt to make his office a little less austere. He put it on a shelf in the corner. It would have died ages ago if Syd had not started assigning cadets to water it. And so, the plant lived on.

Tonight, however, it began to do something extraordinary . . . although this was not the first time the plant had done this over the last few months. One of its leaves began to swell. After a moment, the leaf fell off. When it landed, it grew six tendrils and began to walk on these tendrils up the wall and into the ventilation duct, up through the ducts and out an exhaust port on the exterior of the building. The internal security system didn’t react because its program did not have a concept for independently mobile plant life . . . at least, not any that would be trying to leave the base through the ventilation system. The program that monitored the security system logged it as a possible glitch for a technician to look at later.

Once the leaf was outside, the topmost layers of the leaf spread open like beetle wings and it launched itself into the air. It came to rest in the park across from SPD headquarters in the palm of Malika, who smiled coldly. “Let’s see what secrets Commander Tate has to share with us tonight.” She vanished in a burst of indigo light, laughing.


	8. It's Not Paranoia If . . . .

Tyler, Andrea, Conrad, and Nia were cutting across the park on their way home from school when an ice-cold female voice said, “The four of **_you_** made Crul retreat and defeated Ivaconda? Oh, that’s rich. You’re **_children. _**”

The four Rangers spun to see Malika standing on the path, holding a katana-like sword casually over her shoulder. Her expression was something like sneer, although she was laughing lightly. The Rangers went into battle ready postures.

“Who in Hades are you?” demanded Tyler.

Under his breath Conrad asked, “And what’s with the slutty outfit?” Nia glanced at Conrad, silently agreeing with him.

“I am Malika, Red Ranger.”

“_Say it a little louder_,” thought Tyler. But fortunately, this part of the park seemed mostly deserted.

“I decided I wanted to test you up close and personal, rather than just watching the vids. Oh, and I heard that “slutty” comment Green Ranger. Just for that . . .” Malika threw a handful of what appeared to be seedpods at the ground, each exploded into several Biodrones. “Let’s see how you fair against the Biodrones un-morphed. Attack!”

At Malika’s command the Biodrones rushed the Rangers, who threw their school bags to the side and met the drones head on. An expression of surprise passed over each Ranger’s face as they suddenly realized that a great deal of their fighting skills and strength had crossed over from their morphed forms . . . just as Grandmother said it would.

Malika stood back and observed the Rangers fight the Biodrones. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, the Rangers were not only holding their own against her soldiers without being morphed but were starting to turn the tide. She couldn’t allow this. She was acting without the Master’s permission, hoping to dispatch the Rangers using the information she had acquired through the bio-cybernetic virus she had infected the plant in Sky Tate’s office with. With the Rangers out of the way, the Master would have elevated her above Crul, but if the Rangers were this strong un-morphed . . . However, they may be strong, but right now they lacked the protection of their armor. 

Malika charged the Red Ranger from behind, planning to gut him in his vulnerable civilian form . . . and ran head on into a shimmering blue force field. She stumbled back.

“What?!”

Tyler turned at the sound of Malika’s question. She raised her sword again, ready to slash when a blaster bolt knocked the weapon out of her hand. Tyler and Malika looked in the direction the blast had come from. SPD Terran Division Commander Sky Tate was standing a few yards away in a firing stance, his D-blaster aimed squarely at Malika.

He smiled grimly and said, “Gotta remember to watch your back in this kind of fight son.”

****************************************************************************************************

Crul strode into the throne chamber. “Master!”

The Master’s glowing yellow-green eyes regarded Crul. “What is the source of your agitation Crul?”

Crul knelt, “Master, Malika has attacked the Rangers. Somehow, she has discovered their civilian identities. Have you given her leave for this?”

“No, I did not.” The Master paused for a moment, and his eyes glowed brighter, “However, the battle does not go in her favor. She thought that if she caught the Rangers in their civilian forms they would be easy to defeat. She was mistaken and is suffering the consequences. Now, is Biorg 002 ready?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Take it to the site of the battle and fetch Malika.”

***************************************************************************************************

The Rangers finished off the rest of the Biodrones as Sky moved towards Malika, never taking his eyes, or his weapon, off her. When he got within range for his Patrol Unit’s judgment and containment functions, he drew it . . . only to drop it when several large, what appeared to be pine needles punctured his hand. The Rangers gathered around Sky as the new Biorg moved between them and Malika. This one looked like a giant snail with a conical shell had been crossed with a pine tree.

Sky was now gripping his hand where he had been hit. Tyler saw this and asked, “Commander, are you okay?”

“My hand’s gone numb.”

Andrea’s eyes went wide. “No wonder, I think that thing started out as a cone snail. They have neurotoxic venom.”

Crul came up behind Malika and grabbed her by the arm. “Conidafer, deal with them! As for you sister, the Master wishes to speak with you.” With that he and Malika vanished in a flash of black-blue light.

Conidafer waited until Crul and Malika were clear then let loose with a barrage of needles. Sky threw up a force field to intercept them. It stopped the needles but wavered badly . . . the neurotoxin seemed to be affecting him. “Morph! I’ll cover you!”

The teens didn’t stop to argue or ask how Sky knew; Tyler just looked at his friends and said, “You heard the man . . . its Morphin’ Time!” And, with calls to their respective elements, in flashes of red, green, yellow, and blue the four ordinary teens morphed into the GeoForce Power Rangers!

“Go with weapons guys, this thing looks like it has a tough shell!” the Yellow Ranger suggested, summoning her Tornado Sais.

“Right,” agreed the Red Ranger, manifesting the Inferno Sword. “Con, see if you can crack that thing’s shell!”

“On it!” the Green Ranger was already moving, his Quake Hammer appearing in his hands.

Tyler turned to the Blue Ranger, “Nia, cover the Commander and see what you can do about that toxin, the Water Element’s supposed to be healing.” Tyler ran to join the fight.

Sky was growing pale and had dropped to his knees. Nia knelt beside him, “Commander Tate?”

Sky managed a weak smile. “Nice armor. Like the helmet. Are those fins?” he asked touching the silver design around Nia’s visor.

“I’m not sure. My element’s Water.” Nia was uncertain what to do, or what she could do. “_Duh, Nia, try asking_,” she thought. Nia spoke, not really knowing how else to start the comm system in her helmet, “Grandmother, are you there?”

The reply came back, “Yes Nia, I was alerted when you morphed. You aren’t fighting the monster with the others?”

“No. Someone, Commander Tate from SPD, the monster hit him with some kind of needles. Andrea thinks the animal used to make the monster is toxic. Ty thinks I can help him.”

“Tyler may be correct. Press your index and middle fingers to the lower edge of your visor, that will activate its scanner functions.”

Nia did as instructed and suddenly a detailed biological readout of Sky Tate appeared on the inside of Nia’s visor. Grandmother came over the comm again. “Andrea was correct. The Commander’s system has been flooded with a virulent neurotoxin. Nia, listen carefully. Place your right hand over the Commander’s heart, your left over the entry wounds. Focus and **feel** your power washing the toxin out of his body.”

Nia did so, placing her right hand over Sky’s heart, her left over the puncture marks in his hand and concentrated. Her hands glowed blue, and as she focused, the blue aura moved over Sky. Nia could feel the toxin being pushed out of Sky’s body; out the very wounds it had entered through, where her power destroyed it. Sky’s color almost immediately improved. He looked at Nia and said, “Thanks, now, get in there," gesturing to the fight. Nia nodded and manifested the Tsunami Lance.

*************************************************************************************************************

While Nia saw to Commander Tate, the other Rangers attacked Conidafer. Conrad lead, scoring a powerful hit with his hammer . . . which had absolutely no effect. Nor did Tyler and Andrea’s attacks.

Conidafer tried to poison them but its needles wouldn’t penetrate their armor, so it switched tactics and started firing off exploding needles.

“Ty, this isn’t getting us anywhere. We can’t make a dent in that shell!” yelled Conrad.

“I’m open to ideas,” Tyler responded.

Andrea came up with one, “Ty, you and I double team him with power attacks then Con hits him with a hammer at full power.

“Right! Now!” Tyler yelled “Flame Strike!” as a fireball leapt from his hands. Andrea simultaneously launched a lighting bolt with “Aero Shock!” The two energies converged at Conidafer’s feet, exploding and knocking the Biorg back several feet, where it landed on its back. As the creature worked to get up Conrad rushed in, charging his hammer with the command “Quake Hammer, Full Power!” and struck Conidafer with a mighty over head blow. There was a massive release of energy . . . then Conidafer blasted Conrad back with a spray of explosive needles. It rose to its feet with a small spider web crack in its shell.

Unfortunately, Conrad was using his hammer to support himself as he rose to his own feet. “That’s it? That little crack? That was everything I had. What do we do now?”

At this point Nia joined them, “Guys, Commander Tate’s going to be okay!”

“Great, but we’re not Nia, unless we figure out something,” replied Tyler. Conidafer was moving towards them and seemed to be working up for a major attack.

Andrea asked, “Weren’t the old Rangers able to combine their weapons? Can we do that?”

Grandmother responded over the comm channel, “Yes you can my Rangers. I’m downloading instructions to your helmet visors now.”

The Rangers received the information, and then Tyler stepped forward. “Alright Rangers, let’s bring ‘em together!”

Conrad yelled, “Quake Hammer!” folding its long handle up against the hammerhead, then forward, forming a barrel, the lower section of the handle folding down at a right angle to that, forming a firing handle. He threw it into the air, where it hovered.

Andrea yelled, “Tornado Sais!” and threw her weapons towards the hovering hammer. They joined it, the pommels connected to the face of the hammer head, paralleling the handle/barrel above and slightly to the sides of it.

Nia split her lance in half and threw it towards the forming weapon with a cry of “Tsunami Lance!” The blade ends linked to the hammer head on its sides, the two halves of the lance pole now forming additional side mounted barrels.

Tyler was last, leaping up with a cry of, “Inferno Sword!” He locked the sword down on top of the hammer head, the flat of the blade against it and running between Andrea’s sais. He dropped back down with the newly formed weapon. Conrad knelt down, supporting the barrel with his shoulder. Nia and Andrea stood on either side of Tyler, each girl placing one hand on his shoulder, the other gripping the handle of the sword. Conidafer came to a stop, its eye stalks focusing on the new weapon.

All four Rangers spoke as one, saying “Quadra-force Cannon! Fire!” Energy built up around the sword and sai blades and at the opening of the hammer and lance barrels then leapt forth as a multicolored sphere of power. Conidafer tried to move but was too slow. The energy sphere slammed into it, consuming it in a massive explosion. The Rangers turned around, their individual weapons reforming from the Quadra-force Cannon.

Commander Sky Tate walked up as the four Rangers demorphed. “We should get out of here. I blocked the alarm when that Malika attacked you, but anyone who was looking out a window saw that explosion. Tyler, I believe your house is nearby?”

The Rangers exchanged a four-way glance.


	9. I Saw What You Did

The four Rangers and Commander Sky Tate arrived at the Forge home. No one else was there, as Lieutenant Forge would be at the Academy until late and Kris had been released from Medical to his quarters at SPD Command. Sky took a seat and seemed to make himself comfortable. Andrea, Nia, and Conrad followed suit. Tyler, however, remained standing and paced. Sky just regarded him with his ice blue eyes until Tyler finally stopped pacing, looked at his father and brother’s commanding officer and said, “So?”

“So what, Tyler?” Sky responded.

“So, um, you know we’re the GeoForce Rangers?” Tyler cringed at the obvious question even as he asked it.

“Yes.”

“How?”

The other three Rangers were quiet, watching the exchange almost as they would a tennis match.

“Lt. Morv uncovered several things in his investigation of the Museum incident that suggested it was the four of you. I wasn’t one hundred percent certain until a few minutes ago, but it was highly likely.”

Andrea could no longer contain her curiosity, “What did Lt. Morv find that pointed to us? Um, sir?”

Sky smiled. “Look, as long as we’re sitting here discussing this, and since none of you are SPD cadets, why don’t you call me Sky. As for your question . . . Andrea, right?” She nodded and Sky continued, “We found that the last tour drone that had any record of you four was one that was damaged in the initial blast, contradicting your report that a drone evaced you. We found a trace of blood in the same area that’s DNA returned as having a familial link to three samples in the SPD personnel database . . . Aaron, Anya, and Kristof Forge, even though when I and the med-techs saw Tyler he didn’t have a scratch on him. And lastly, even though we didn’t have video from that area, triangulating from the cameras we did have our mystery Rangers entered from the same spot we have as your last location.”

Tyler crossed his arms, “So, are you going to arrest us now for lying to an investigator? Cause if you are . . .”

Sky held up his hand to cut Tyler off. “No, I am not going to arrest you. Arresting Rangers is counter-productive . . . at least after they’re already Rangers.”

The four teens exchanged a puzzled look.

Sky continued, “Regardless, it seems obvious that your powers are better equipped to deal with this current threat. But I do have a couple of questions.”

The Rangers exchanged another look. Tyler answered, “Okay, we’ll answer what we can.”

Nia picked up, “It’s not that we want to lie to you Comma . . . Sky. It’s just that we were told to keep this stuff a secret for right now.”

Sky looked at Nia, "Right before you healed me, I heard you contact a . . . Grandmother was it? I assume this is your mentor?”

Another four-way glance was followed by Nia responding, “Yes.”

Sky smiled, easing a bit of the teens’ tension. “Good. One of my concerns was that you were going it alone. Rangering without any guidance. Okay, now to the questions. What are we up against?”

Conrad jumped in, “Well as far as who and why goes you know about as much as we do. You’ve seen Crul and the Biodrones for yourself. And that Malika’s a new one on us. We never saw her before today. ‘Drea, you understand all the technical stuff, about the plants and the animals and the nana-whatever.”

Andrea looked at Conrad, sighed, and then turned to Sky. “What Con means is that Crul, and I’m guessing Malika as well, are humans that have been enhanced with mutated plant tissue and nano-tech. The Biodrones are a combination of mutated plant tissue and nano-tech. According to Grandmother’s analysis they’re as tough as an orange model Krybot. The monsters are a combo of mutated plant and animal tissue utilizing a cybernetic AI and nano-tech nervous systems.”

Tyler picked up, “We think Crul, and now I guess Malika too, work for somebody else.”

Sky asked, “Based on what?”

“Well, at the museum, after the guys took out the Biodrones, they were going to help me against Crul,” Tyler answered. “He looked like he was ready to fight all of us, but then he just took off. Grandmother said she detected a scrambled transmission just before that.”

Nia now spoke up, “And I think I heard Crul say something to Malika about a “master”.”

“Me too,” added Conrad.

Sky seemed to think for a moment. “Well, if their basic foot soldier is as strong as an orange-head, I can see how they were able to take out Alpha squad. Okay, next question, what can SPD do to help?”

The four Rangers now exchanged a shocked look . . . despite Sky’s behavior thus far they had been expecting a more controlling, authoritarian reaction. But Sky seemed to be taking them seriously as Rangers.

Tyler finally swallowed and answered, “Um, well, keep our secret?”

Sky smiled. “Already done. All the data pointing to the identities of the new Rangers has been classified under my authority. Anything else?”

The teens thought for a moment, then Andrea seemed to have flash of inspiration, “Well, even though your officers shouldn’t go up against these guys if they can help it, keeping civilians safe while we fight the monsters would help. Wow, I just called other people civilians!” Andre giggled.

Sky chuckled as well, “Done. Good idea.” Andrea blushed at the compliment. Sky looked at his chronometer. “Look kids . . . I mean Rangers, I have to get back to Command. Tyler, see me out?”

Tyler seemed startled, and then said, “Um, yeah.”

At the door, Sky turned back to Tyler. Reaching into his coat, he pulled something out and handed it to Tyler, who recognized it as one of the ID badges/communicators issued to cadets at the Academy. Sky explained, “Just in case you need to get a hold of me. I’ve disabled the locator functions and it’s programmed to directly call my personal communicator on a scrambled frequency.”

“Wow. Um, thanks Commander.”

“You’re welcome. And Tyler, you should think about telling your father. I think he’d be thrilled and supportive.”

“Um, yeah, I’ll think about it.”

***********************************************************************************************************************

Malika hung, bound by the techno-mutant vines around her arms and legs. The Master’s glowing yellow-green eyes regarded her. Crul stood, grinning, next to his throne awaiting Malika’s punishment. Without taking his eyes of Malika the Master spoke, “Crul, leave us.”

“Master?”

“Now, Crul.”

Crul bowed, disappointment etched on his face. “Yes, Master.”

The Master waited until he felt that Crul was in his own chambers on the other end of their lair, and then snapped his fingers. The vines holding Malika released her and she dropped to the floor, landing in a crouch. She looked up, confused. “M-Master?”

“Your initiative was impressive Malika, but your motivation was your downfall. I had hoped the sibling rivalry between you and Crul would have been eradicated when I elevated the two of you, but apparently not. You are not in competition with him. He is the fighter; you are the thinker. You both have a place in my plans and my new world. Do you understand?”

Malika, who was now standing bowed her head. “Yes, Master.”

“Good. Now, how did you learn of the Rangers’ identities?”

In answer, Malika reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out the plant-bug. She turned back to the wall. The vines moved into the pattern required to create the holographic screen. Malika placed the bug on one of the vines, where it was absorbed into the vine. The screen played back the briefing between Lt. Morv and Commander Sky Tate.

The Master’s yellow-green eyes flashed, and a cold smile crossed his face. “Interesting, most interesting. In fact, I have an idea. Commander Tate is going to be of more help to us beyond just uncovering the Rangers’ identities. Malika, I have an assignment for you . . .”


	10. Rangers Get the Best Toys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, yeah, yeah . . . they finally get Zords

The GeoForce Rangers were sitting in the cafeteria at New Tech Central High School when Tyler’s communicator buzzed. Nia, Conrad, and Andrea all looked at Tyler’s wrist, who looked around and gestured with his eyes toward the door that lead onto the quad. Once outside, the four Rangers ducked behind some bushes and answered the call.

“We’re here Grandmother, go ahead,” Tyler said into the communicator that posed as his wrist chronometer.

“Rangers, I have detected a new Biorg in the city. It’s in the industrial sector and appears to be trying to avoid detection by the city security net. Morph and engage it, but be cautious my Rangers.”

Andrea spoke up, “Um, Grandmother, we’re in the middle of school.”

They could hear Grandmother laugh lightly over the comm channel, “Just part of being a Ranger, I’m afraid. Don’t worry; I’ll take care of things, now go.”

Tyler looked around at his friends, “You heard her guys, let’s go. **It’s morphin’ time!**”

A morph and a teleport later, the Rangers were in New Tech City’s industrial sector.

“So, where’s this Biorg?” Conrad asked.

“Gimme a sec,” replied Andrea, touching her middle and index fingers to the lower edge of her visor, activating its scanner functions. Nia’s scanner was for biology, Andrea’s did electromagnetic wavelengths. “I’m scanning now. The nano-tech nervous systems the Biorgs are built on generate a very specific EM field signature.”

“O-kay,” Conrad said, “Whatever that means.”

“There!” Andrea cried, pointing. “One block over!”

The Rangers leapt to the roof of the intervening building and crossed over to the other side, where they saw a green, needle-covered, cat-like creature and a dozen Biodrones breaking into a company called Genometech.

“Oh, you gotta be kidding me.” said Conrad. “Is that some kind of cactus cat?”

Nia checked with her scanner, “Yep.”

“Fine, it’s a cacto-cat. Let’s hit it!” Tyler said.

The four Rangers dropped on top of the Biorg and the Biodrones. The fight went fairly quickly. The Biorg, which called itself Felotus, had a few nasty surprises, mostly which involved firing acidic and exploding needles and claw slashes. The Rangers finally formed the Quadra-force Cannon and blasted Felotus. As they prepared to teleport out, they heard a familiar voice from above them.

“Impressive, Rangers,” Malika said from a nearby rooftop. “But let’s see how you handle this!” Malika threw a silver dagger which contained a vial full of a glowing green liquid. It landed in Felotus’ remains, the liquid pumped into what was left of the Biorg, which liquefied and reformed as a forty story tall version.

The Rangers leapt back as now giant Biorg leered down at them.

“Um, what do we do now?” asked Nia, a bit of panic in her voice.

“Please tell me we have Zords,” added Conrad.

Information scrolled across the inside of Tyler’s visor. The grin he was wearing was apparent in his voice, “Oh yeah.” He looked at the sky and yelled “**Geozords, Arise!!**”

A spot appeared against the sun, which grew larger, finally revealing the shape of the Red Firedrake Geozord. It banked on its scalloped wings and launched a fireball from its mouth at Felotus, which staggered under the assault.

The earth rumbled as the massive Green Auroch Geozord charged in on its four powerful legs. The Zord, which looked like a mechanical cross between a bull and a bison, slammed its massive curved horns into Felotus, knocking the Biorg off its feet.

Storm clouds suddenly gathered and with a crash of thunder, the Yellow Thunderbird Geozord flew out of the clouds. As Felotus regained its feet, the Thunderbird blasted it with bolts of lightning.

A massive dark, sinuous shadow moved under the surface of the harbor. As it neared the docks the Blue Leviathan Geozord burst out the water and the snake-like mecha seemed to swim through the air. Nia now understood the pattern on her helmet, as the twin fins on either side of the Leviathan’s head and tail were shaped the same as the design on her helmet. The Leviathan “swam” around Felotus and sliced the Biorg with its tail fins.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************

Felotus had successfully managed to evade the city’s security net . . . prior to being forty stories tall. Now the Biorg and the four giant Zords shaped like mythological beasts attacking it were rather hard to miss . . . hence the alarms going off in the SPD Command Center.

Commander Sky Tate entered. He didn’t even have to yell “report,” information started flooding at him from various officers working Command.

“Commander, NTS-Net just picked up a Code 1 incursion in the industrial district, sector 5,” the officer manning the New Tech Security Network monitoring station announced.

“Computer confirms that the subject is bio-cybernetic. Identical signature to the Marnier Bay incident,” reported the Situation Analysis officer.

“Sir, something new,” the officer manning the central Command & Control podium called. “We have four unidentified mecha attacking the subject.”

“On main monitor,” commanded Sky. An image of the four Geozords engaging Felotus appeared. Sky cracked half a grin and said under his breath, “Nice Zords.”

“Sir?” the C & C officer asked.

Sky came back to the present. “New standing orders. If the new Rangers, hereafter designated GeoForce, have engaged a subject SPD will engage support and defense protocols only. Beta squad, EMS, and any nearby patrol officers will handle crowd control, citizen evac, and situation zone containment and clean-up.”

“Sir?” the now confused officer asked, “They aren’t SPD . . . should we really . . .?”

Sky fixed his ice blue eyes on his subordinate and said with tone he had learned by listening to numerous lectures directed at him by Anubis Cruger, “Those are my orders.”

The officer blanched, swallowed hard, and responded, “Y-yes, sir.” He then turned back to his station and began relaying commands per the new standing order.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************

“Check them out!” yelled Conrad.

“Awesome!” was all Andrea could manage.

Nia was jumping up and down clapping her hands.

Tyler looked back at the other Rangers and said, “It gets better guys, let’s go!” With that the GeoForce Ranger tele-leapt, a teleport boosted jump, to their individual Zords.  
A portal in each Zord opened admitting the Rangers to their cockpits. Each cockpit was a circular chamber. Just forward of center there was a large crystal with a flat, slanted facet. On the back wall was the Ranger’s sigil. The front wall allowed the Rangers to see through the Zord’s eyes with a holographic image that gave them full forward and peripheral vision. As each Ranger dropped into the cockpit they placed their hands on the flat surface of the crystal, which immediately began to glow their respective color.

“This is Firedrake, everybody in?” Tyler asked the air, knowing his voice would be heard in all the other Zords.

“Thunderbird here,” Andrea replied. “I’ve seen the holos, read the books, but this is just amazing!”

“I feel like I’m part of the Leviathan,” responded Nia. “Or perhaps it’s part of me.”

“Auroch Zord is ready to rock!” Conrad practically yelled.

Unfortunately, in getting settled into their Zords the Rangers gave Felotus time to recover and it lashed out with a spray of explosive needles. The Rangers reacted, the Zords breaking formation and scattering, but the Auroch took a bad hit.

“Ow! What the hell?! I felt that!” Conrad yelled.

“Nia’s right guys, we’re connected to the Zords, so be careful,” Tyler warned everyone.

“Oh yeah!?” came Conrad’s reply, “Well, then take this you overgrown house cat! **Mega Terra Crush!**” The Auroch Zord stamped it’s forehoof against the ground and a giant wave of green energy, the ultimate version of Conrad’s power attack, raced along the ground and slammed into Felotus, knocking it off it’s feet and destroying over half its quills in the process.

Suddenly Andrea came over the comm, “Tyler, are you thinking what I am?”

Tyler smiled under his helmet, “Yeah ‘Drea, I am. Everybody come together.”

The Auroch planted its hooves as the Firedrake landed on top of it. The Thunderbird hovered to its left and the Leviathan “swam” up on its right. Felotus rose to see all four Zords together and staring it down. In their cockpits the Rangers gripped the control crystals, which glowed even brighter as they all yelled, “**Geozords Quadra-Blast!**”

All four Zords opened their mouths/beaks/snouts as energy built up inside them. The energy burst forth in bursts of red, green, yellow, and blue, combining in a massive white ball of energy which slammed into Felotus. There was no explosion, just a flash of light. When it cleared some bio-technic residue smeared on the pavement was all that was left of the Biorg.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

In the Master’s lair Crul, looking at the holo-screen which had just showed them Felotus’ defeat, commented, “The new Biorg failed, Master.”

“Not necessarily, Crul,” responded the Master, looking up as Malika entered. “Malika?”

Malika smiled and held up a large canister containing a think, orange liquid.

“What is that?” Crul asked.

“Synthetic plasma,” the Master responded. “Hemotech’s original formula, banned after the Troobians used it in the construction of the Magnificence. Even though a perfectly functional alternate formulation was developed, Genometech has been secretly manufacturing small batches of the original formula.”

Malika set the canister down, “And since they are producing a banned compound, my borrowing a sample won’t be reported.”

“What of the rest of your mission, Malika?” the Master inquired.

“SPD assisted civilians, but stayed out of the battle. Even though I saw the Beta squad Rangers there,” Malika responded to her Master’s question, still smiling. “And, the growth compound worked perfectly.”

“Excellent,” the Master nearly cackled the word as he leaned back in his throne. "Tate has decided to let the new Rangers handle us . . . I wonder how they’ll handle him?”

The three villains laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An auroch is technically not a mythological creature. It actually existed centuries ago in northern Europe. Similar to a cow, but much larger, a lot hairier, and a hell of a lot more ill-tempered . . . it’s only predator was man. And even though we humans hunted it to extinction . . . they took out quite a few of us in the process. Basically cross a Texas longhorn with a buffalo and give it a rhino’s attitude.  
Next Chapter: The B Squad.


	11. B Squad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I originally wrote this story I was posting it first to Power Rangers United and then Fanfiction. One of the most frequent comments I got was the question of when I was going to bring in the rest of B Squad. So, here's their introduction to the GeoForce timeline. It made a lot of people happy. What I immediately did to Sky, not so much . . .

Sky Tate was the Commander of SPD Terran Division, although that wasn’t apparent now, given that instead of his uniform he was wearing casual slacks and a sweater. Looking at himself in the mirror in the restaurant’s foyer he couldn’t help but smile. Despite all his years as a cadet striving to be the Red Ranger, and in fact even being the Red Ranger for a while, he still tended to favor blue in his off-duty clothes . . . not that he owned that many to begin with.

The hostess approached him. She was a tall, cocoa colored woman with tightly braided hair. Every other month for the last few years the original B Squad had taken time out of their hectic lives to get together for dinner. They took turns choosing the restaurant. Sky usually chose traditional North American fare. Syd went for the current hot spot. Z’s choices depended on her mood but were usually some variety of Terran. Bridge always chose the newest Xeno place . . . leading to some interesting meals. This time it was Jack’s turn, and he always went with soul food or like this time, Caribbean. Sky’s pocket was already loaded with industrial strength antacid. The waitress was probably about to ask if he was alone when an energetic voice yelled, “Sky!”

Jack Landors, former SPD B Squad Red Ranger, came out and gave Sky a fierce hug. Pulling away with a smile he said, “Come on, we’re back here.” Jack led the way to the table, where Bridge and Syd were already seated. Both rose to greet their friend.

“Where’s Z?” Sky asked, “I’m usually the one who’s running late.”

“It’s March Sky,” Sydney “Syd” Drew, former SPD B Squad Pink Ranger replied, “Zero G flight training for the Juniors at the Lunar Outpost.”

“I know, but that’s never made her late . . .” Sky’s comment was interrupted by Elizabeth “Z” Delgado’s entrance.

“Sorry I’m late everyone,” Z said, hugging her former teammates. As they all sat Z continued with her explanation. “The new training shuttle Central Command sent us deep fried its control circuits on take off this morning. I spent all afternoon on the commlink with Kat, who sends her love by the way. She’s furious . . . she was growling the entire time we were talking.”

Syd looked worried, “Were there any injuries?”

“Nope, everyone’s okay. There’ll be a full report on your desk in the morning, Commandant,” Z said with a smirk. At the urging of Anubis Cruger and Sky, Sydney had taken over as Commandant of the SPD Academy two years ago and had promptly promoted Z to Department Head of the Academy Flight School. Based on what happened with A Squad, Anubis had devoted a great deal of energy since his promotion to High Commander making sure that there were officers he could trust in important positions within SPD and the Academy.

In mock horror Syd whined, “Why, oh why did I take this job?” placing the back of her hand dramatically against her forehead.

“Because you were the best person for it,” Bridge responded matter-of-factly.

“Because you love it,” Jack added.

“Because you can’t resist my charms,” Sky added with a smirk.

Syd threw a roll at Jack.

“Hey!? What was that for?” Jack exclaimed.

Syd blushed, “Sorry Jack, force of habit. It’s usually you who says stuff like that.” The five friends began laughing.

The rest of the dinner was spent reminiscing and catching up. When Ally’s father retired, she took over his company leaving Jack in charge of the charitable foundation she had started. Under Jack’s leadership it had grown into New Tech Xeno-Charities. His connection to both the Xeno community and SPD command had also allowed SPD to shut down some potential problems before they started.

It had long ago been decided among the other four that Bridge Carson, former SPD B Squad Green Ranger, had the best of both worlds. Not only did he teach investigation and profiling skills at the Academy but as Department Head for SPD Psych he got to keep his hands in the investigative side of things. However, he was still Bridge . . . the Psych Department office had an area of clear wall space for him to head stand against.

Dinner, dessert, and conversation went late . . . in fact the former Rangers were kicked out of the restaurant at closing time. The five friends parted ways in the parking lot. Sky walked to his car with a smile on his face. When Syd had originally suggested these bi-monthly get-togethers Sky wasn’t too keen on the idea, but now they had become something he looked forward too. Yeah, they all still managed to keep in touch but that was usually business related, either SPD or Sky calling up Jack to let him know that he was going to have some free labor in the form of some cadets that needed to learn a few things. These dinners were one of the few relaxations the Commander got. However, Sky’s pleasant mood was shattered as he reached his car.

“Pleasant evening, Commander?”

Sky spun to see Malika standing a few feet away. He reached for his communicator but was grabbed by two Biodrones. Sky struggled, but they were every bit as strong as Andrea had said they were. Although it went against his nature Sky tried to yell for help, but before he could even form the first syllable, he felt a hypo against his neck. The last thing he saw was Malika’s cold smile as the world went dark.


	12. To The Rescue

The next day was Saturday and Tyler had been given clearance to visit his brother Kris at SPD headquarters. He, along with the other Alpha Squad Rangers, was still under medical monitoring. Not surprising, given that the attack on the Angel Grove Ranger Museum during which Kris’ shoulder was nearly destroyed was less than two weeks ago. The fact that Kris’s shoulder was almost completely healed was a testament to the medical technology available to SPD.

Tyler was having a bit of difficulty getting past the power tripping senior Academy cadet who was manning the HQ front desk . . . at least until his brother walked up and said, “I was wondering what was taking so long Tyler.” The elder Forge sibling gave his brother a grin and a wink then addressed the cadet, “Is there a problem here, Cadet?”

The cadet blanched and swallowed hard, “No. Um, no sir Ranger Forge, um, sir.”

Kris came around the desk and put his hand on his younger brother’s shoulder and led him into the HQ proper, towards the lifts to the Ranger quarters. Kris was wearing his SPD issued, Green Ranger workout gear; a green t-shirt embroidered with the SPD insignia, dark gray track pants with a green stripe down each leg, and green track shoes. He was also wearing a small blinking device over his left shoulder blade.

Tyler asked, “How’s the shoulder?”

Kris’ hand right hand went up to his shoulder, “Almost healed. Well, the bones are completely back to normal, but according to the docs my muscle tone’s all screwed up now, this thing on my back’s supposed to fix that. I’ll just be happy when I don’t have to walk around with all these things strapped to me and can get back into action. I’ll be even happier when I can sit in a chair or lie in bed normally again.”

By this point they were in the lift, and Tyler seemed to drift off.

“I’m glad you came to visit, but I’ll admit I’m surprised you did,” Kris commented after a moment.

Tyler turned to look at his older brother, “Why?”

“Ty,” Kris said with a serious expression. Besides his friends, Kris was the only other person who called him Ty. “I know SPD hasn’t been your favorite thing ever since mom died. And this is the first time you’ve set foot in the building since the memorial. I just figured me getting hurt probably didn’t help your opinion any.”

“It’s not that. I mean, you getting hurt makes sense . . .” Tyler blushed, “Oh Gods, that didn’t sound right!”

Kris laughed, “Its okay, I understand. I’m a Ranger. I actively put my butt on the line everyday, so getting hurt is a likelihood. Mom was a CLO; she wasn’t supposed to be around danger.”

“Yeah,” Tyler said, looking at the floor, “but it’s not just that. You and dad are . . .” Tyler struggled with the words.

“Always pushing you about the Academy.”

“Yeah.”

“And you don’t want to go.”

“Not even if you paid me.”

“Okay.”

Tyler looked at his brother in shock, “You’re okay with that?!”

“Yep. Ty, you’re my little brother, and as much as you can be a royal pain in the ass, I want you to be happy. Of course, . . . you have to tell Dad at some point.”

Tyler groaned and his brother laughed, “Don’t worry; I’ll have your back.” As Kris finished speaking the lift doors opened into the communal room that connected the five Alpha Squad members’ individual quarters, just in time for the sound of Maddy Torres, the Yellow Ranger, saying “Oh my god!” to waft in.

Kris and Tyler entered, Kris asking, “What’s going on?” All the Alpha Squad Rangers were gathered in front of the broadcast vid-screen, which showed an image of Crul. The image panned out to show that Crul was standing with a group of Biodrones, who in turn were standing around a cage in which Commander Sky Tate was chained and struggling.

Dramlin Zell, the Red Ranger turned back to Kris, not seeming to really see Tyler amid the crisis. “It’s that freak from the museum. He broke into all the vid broadcasts. He’s got the Commander is says he’ll kill him unless the GeoForce Rangers face him.”

Kris responded in shock and anger, “What?! We need to get out there and rescue him!”

“I agree Kris,” responded Dramlin, “Except that since we’re still on med-observation, our morphers are offline.”

The Alpha Squad Rangers all started talking, trying figure out what to do. Tyler seemed to be completely forgotten and took advantage of that to slip through the green door into Kris’ room, from where he teleported to Sanctuary.

***********************************************************************

As the red flash that signaled Tyler’s arrival in Sanctuary cleared, Andrea ran up to him, “We were just about to call, but the sensors said you were in the middle of SPD Headquarters.”

“Yeah, I was visiting Kris, but I slipped out. He and the rest of Alpha Squad were pretty distracted by that,” Tyler gestured to the holoscreen which showed Crul’s broadcast.

Nia commented, “I can’t believe they were able to get Commander Tate.”

“According to my Dad, the Troobians captured Cruger twice,” Tyler added.

“Well, I don’t think Commander Tate wants to match that record,” Conrad said as he pressed his fist into his palm. “Okay, Ty’s here, can we go spank the bad guy now?”

“We need to focus on rescuing the Commander,” Andrea stated firmly.

Grandmother agreed, “Rescuing Commander Tate is your first priority . . . then you may spank the bad guy. And Rangers, be careful, this screams trap.”

All four GeoForce Rangers nodded, and then Tyler said, “Ready guys? **It’s Morphin’ Time!”**

The four teens brought their left wrists up and forward, and in flashes of colored light their wrist-chronos transformed into their GeoMorpher bracelets.

Tyler held the flame pattern inscribed silver bracelet, with its diamond shaped ruby up and yelled, **“Power of Fire!”** The Heart of Flame sigil within the ruby flashed and flames danced across Tyler’s form, leaving by their passing the uniform of the Red GeoForce Ranger!

Conrad brought up his bracelet, inscribed with a geometric pattern and set with a square emerald. With his cry of **“Power of Earth!”** the Strength of Earth sigil flashed, and Conrad’s body turned to stone, which in a flash of green shattered, leaving him in the uniform of the Green GeoForce Ranger!

The Force of Air sigil within the oval topaz set in Andrea’s cloud patterned GeoMorpher flashed as she yelled **“Power of Air!”** Clouds and little flashes of yellow lightening swirled about her body, and when they cleared Andrea was revealed as the Yellow GeoForce Ranger!

**“Power of Water!”** when commanded by Nia caused the Flowing of Water sigil to send a miniature wave washing out from the circular sapphire, over her wave patterned GeoMopher, and across her body. As the water washed past Nia was changed into the Blue GeoForce Ranger!

***********************************************************************

Crul waited in the quarry, staring at the semi-conscious form of Commander Sky Tate in the cage.

“You know, Commander,” Crul spat out the word, “I’m almost hoping the Rangers don’t show up, simply because killing you would negate all of Malika’s hard work, and I do so enjoy making life difficult for her. Plus, she got off far too easy for that stunt in the park. On the other hand, I do dearly hope the Rangers do show up, because watching their destruction will be a joy.”

From behind Crul a voice yelled out, “Be careful what you wish for blue-boy!”

Crul turned to see the GeoForce Rangers standing on a ridge. He smiled coldly, “Ah, Rangers, how nice of you to accept mine and the Commander’s invitation. But please, why don’t you come down and join us!” Crul thrust his sword point towards the Rangers, and a blast of indigo-black energy lashed out, striking the ridge the Rangers were standing on. The Rangers jumped off the ledge just before the beam hit, landing in defensive postures on the quarry floor, where they were immediately attacked by Biodrones.

**********************************************************************

The SPD Alpha Squad stormed into the Command Center. All the monitors were filled with images of the fight going on in the quarry. The day shift Command Center operations officer, Lieutenant Brandon Eberley, a human who made Krybots looks emotional, turned at their entry.

“Alpha squad, you are on medical observation. You should not be in the Command Center.”

The Rangers ignored him, all looking at the screens, watching the GeoForce Rangers fight . . . and take apart the very opponents that had put them all in the med-bay. Each SPD Ranger seemed to fix on the Ranger of their same color, except for Bethany Torres, who complained, “What is this, they don’t have pink?”

Kris Forge wasn’t watching his counterpart, the Green Ranger either. His eyes were fixed on the Red GeoForce Ranger . . . a sense of familiarity nagging at his consciousness as he watched the Ranger fight.

Dramlin Zell turned to Eberley, “Why isn’t Beta Squad out there?”

Eberley huffed, “The assailant specifically required the GeoForce Rangers and no one else. And Commander Tate’s current standing orders are that SPD is not to interfere with any situation involving the GeoForce Rangers. However, Beta Squad is stationed on the edge of the quarry and will move the moment it appears we can safely evac the Commander.”

***********************************************************************

Crul had waded into the battle and made a beeline for the Red Ranger. Tyler did a flip to avoid the first slash from Crul’s sword, and then came up, summoning his Inferno Sword and the two began to fight, their swords sparking and crashing as the others dealt with the Biodrones. Nia, Andrea, and Conrad quickly overpowered the Biodrones. As the last of the foot soldiers vaporized Conrad ripped the cage apart and pulled the semi-conscious form of Commander Tate out. Nia moved towards him, intending to check on him with her visor scanner and then heal him when the Beta Squad SPD Rangers rappelled into the quarry. 

Like Alpha Squad, the Beta Squad’s armor looked a great deal like the old B-Squad suits, except that aspects of the S.W.A.T mode were now included, giving them chest plates with raised Ranger numbers, gauntlets, and shin guards. The only real difference between Alpha and Beta Squad armor was the patches on their right shoulders showing either the Greek letters alpha or beta, and that all the SPD insignia and badges for Alpha Squad were gold, while Beta was silver.

While the Beta Squad Green and Pink Rangers kept their Enforcers aimed at Crul . . . and somewhat at Tyler, Blue and Yellow got between Nia and Sky, and started to make to move him, as their Red Ranger addressed the GeoForce Rangers, “We’ll get the Commander to our Med-bay.”

Andrea put her hands on her hips and looked Beta Red visor to visor, “You’re welcome,” she said, even though they hadn’t been thanked.

Crul saw all of this and broke away from Tyler, leaping to a high ledge of the quarry. “As much as I would like to stay and see which of us is truly the better swordsman Red Ranger, I must run. However, so that you don’t feel like I’m running off without leaving you any entertainment . . . **Oakadillo!**”

The ground started to shake and crack as Crul teleported away. Andrea put a hand to the side of her helmet and yelled “Grandmother!” The teleport effect grabbed Sky, the Beta Rangers, and the Geo Rangers and deposited them near the Beta Squad’s transport on the edge of the quarry.

Tyler turned to Beta Squad’s Red Ranger and yelled, “Go!” Then, he turned back to the quarry to see the massive, bark covered armadillo Biorg burst up from under the quarry floor. The four GeoForce Rangers exchanged a glance.

“Zords?” Conrad asked.

“Oh yeah,” was Tyler’s response. He then looked towards the sun and commanded, “Fire Drake Zord! Arise!”

Conrad, Andrea, and Nia followed suit, calling the Auroch, Thunderbird, and Leviathan GeoZords. As the massive mecha appeared the four Rangers tele-leapt into their respective cockpits. Grandmother almost immediately come over the comm system, “Rangers, my scans of the new Biorg indicate that its armor is too strong for the Zords to handle in their individual modes, even with a combined attack.”

Conrad squealed like a little girl. Nia and Andrea giggled, then Tyler cleared his throat, and his teammates got serious. “Alright guys, you heard what Grandmother said. So here we go . . . **GeoForce Megazord Mode!**”

The Auroch Zord ground to a halt, as it did so, its body began to shift and fold, forming a pelvis and two powerful legs, its curved horns becoming a “belt”. The Fire Drake swooped in, its two legs locking down to the Auroch, its body split in half as the head came forward, the head folding down into the body so that the top of the Zord’s head became a chest plate. The rest of the Fire Drake became the Megazord’s shoulders, with the wings pushed back. The Leviathan split in half in the middle, from the split hands extended. The Leviathan’s head and tail then separated, the four pieces attaching to the Megazord as its arms, the tail section extended a handle, and mounted itself behind the right shoulder, and the head mounted itself behind the left. The Thunderbird’s flight “feathers” were pulled into the main part of the wings, as the wings folded into the body, and the Zord linked into the Fire Drake in the space between its wings, its head folding forward, revealing the head of the Megazord. The GeoForce Rangers appeared in the central cockpit at their control crystals.

Andrea announced, “GeoForce Megazord, online and battle ready!”

The Megazord and the giant Biorg faced off. Inside the cockpit, Tyler said, “Let’s see what kind of damage this thing can take. Nia?”

“Right,” Nia responded. “Megazord Cannon, online!” The Leviathan head flipped up on the Megazord’s shoulder and its mouth opened. “Fire!” Nia commanded as the head of her Zord unleashed a blast of energy, now backed up by the power of the whole Megazord.

Oakadillo folded in on itself, allowing its armored hide to take the brunt of the blast. It was shoved back, but there was no obvious damage to the Biorg. Oakadillo charged, swiping its massive claws along the Megazord’s torso. Sparks flew and the Megazord leapt back, retaliating with a punch to the Biorg’s face. This went on a few more exchanges, until the Megazord managed to get Oakadillo into a grapple, its massive hands holding the monster’s claws at bay. As they struggled, the Leviathan head came up again and blasted Oakadillo in the head at point blank range. The Megazord let go as the Biorg was knocked back.

Inside the cockpit, Conrad yelled, “That got it! There’s a breach in its armor!”

“Alright guys, let’s finish this!” Tyler commanded, “Power Sword Attack!”

The Megazord reached up and grabbed the handle that had extended from the Leviathan Zord’s tail section. Its wings opened and the Megazord leapt into the air as it drew the power sword. The dual Leviathan tail fins glowed and elongated, becoming the blades of the power sword. As the Megazord reached the apex of its leap, it grabbed the handle of the Power Sword with both hands and energy ran along and through the blades. The Megazord dropped back down on Oakadillo with a mighty overhead slash, the charged blade slicing cleanly through the damaged spot in the Biorg’s armor, and then through the rest of the monster. The Megazord turned, the fin-blades retracting as it sheathed its sword. Behind it, Oakadillo fell backwards and exploded as its body separated along the cut.

***********************************************************************

Back at SPD Headquarters, the Alpha Squad Rangers watched the fight between the new Megazord and the monster. As soon as the fight was finished, most of the team headed for the med-bay, where Commander Tate was being brought in. Kris, however, headed back to his quarters looking for Tyler, who seemed to have gotten lost in the chaos. As Kris exited the lift, he called Tyler’s name but received no answer. A flash of light through the seams of the door to his personal quarters caught his attention. Kris approached cautiously and pressed the button for the door to open . . . Tyler was sitting on his bed staring out the window.

“Where have you been?” Kris asked his younger brother.

“Um, right here,” Tyler responded . . . somewhat nervously in Kris’ opinion.

“The whole time?”

“Yeah. When you guys started talking about what was happening with Commander Tate, I thought I should get out of the way. Is the Commander okay?”

Kris stared at Tyler for a moment, “I don’t know, Beta Squad just brought him into med-bay.”

Tyler stood, “Well, it looks like things are gonna be nuts around here for a while . . . I should probably go home.”

Once again, Kris seemed to study his brother . . . every investigator instinct he had was going off ever since he saw the Red GeoForce Ranger in action . . . before responding, “Okay, I’ll walk you out.”

*********************************************************************

The first people allowed to see Commander Sky Tate were Lt. Commanders Bridge Carson and Sydney Drew. They talked with both Sky and the doctors for a while, and Sky seemed to be no worse for wear. Before the doctor shooed them out, Syd hugged Sky and Bridge put his gloved hand on Sky’s bare forearm.

As they left the medical wing, Syd noticed that Bridge was being quiet. She turned ask him about it, but he just shook his head in negation. 

Now, one of the interesting things about the old B Squad is that they were all born with unique powers not normally found in Terran born humans. Over the years their powers had continued to grow and mature. Sky could now project force fields several yards from his body; Z could manifest up to six duplicates; Jack learned to effortlessly take another person into phase with him; and Syd could perform several transformations from “memory”, not needing the physical substance to mimic anymore. Bridge, for his part and unknown to everyone but Syd, had learned how to read auras through his gloves. It required physical contact with a subject, but it was now easy for him . . . especially if it was an aura he knew well.

Once they were outside and a few yards from Headquarters, Bridge stopped Syd. The expression on his face was grave. “I’ll call Jack, you call Z . . . we have a big problem.”


	13. Return of the Shadow Ranger Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wherein I abuse the former Blue Ranger for a few chapters

Sky Tate, former B Squad Blue Ranger, hero of the Troobian invasion, current Commander of Space Patrol and Defense Terran Division was sleeping under mild sedation in the SPD headquarters med-bay. Yesterday he had been rescued after being captured by the GeoForce Ranger’s unknown enemy. Today, once he woke up, he would undergo standard debriefing. However, that same enemy had other ideas.

***********************************************************************

In his hidden lair, the Master sat upon his strange cyber-organic throne, his yellow-green eyes glowing slightly, a harsh grin playing at the corners of his mouth. “How is our dear Commander Tate, Malika?”

The tall, leather clad, indigo haired woman strode over to a strange large-leafed plant. The pattern on each leaf resembled more of a circuit pattern than anything that occurred in nature. As her fingers played over two leaves, the patterns on several others changed. Malika consulted these patterns and then responded, “He’s in SPD HQ, the med-bay, unconscious.”

“I think he’s slept enough, don’t you Crul?” The Master smirked as he glanced for a moment at his grinning henchman who was standing next to the throne.

“More than enough. Time for Tate to go to work.”

“Indeed.” The Master turned his attention back to his female minion, “Malika, activate the bio-circuit.”

**********************************************************************

Sky Tate’s eyes shot open. Normally an icy blue, his eyes now seemed more blue-green. He got out of bed. A med-tech seeing this ran over and tried to urge Sky back into bed . . . he never saw the blow that knocked him unconscious, such was the speed the former Ranger still possessed. Sky put the unconscious med-tech in the bed and attached the sensors that were feeding data to the medical monitoring system, and then slipped out of the med-bay.

Sky had nearly grown up in the SPD base, and knew the building like few did so was able to easily evade detection. First to his office, where he dressed in the spare uniform he kept there; and then to the main Technology lab. Boom was there, as always. Over the years he had grown from Dr. Kat Manx’s assistant and gadget tester to her right hand. When High Commander Cruger offered her a position at Central Command, she took it and left Boom as her successor. Boom had definitely grown into the role, and there was little left of the self-conscious klutz who had washed out of the Academy. Boom looked up when Sky entered.

“Commander?” Suddenly Boom noticed his friend and CO’s eyes, “Sky?”

The forcefield Sky projected slammed into Boom and sent him flying into an equipment rack. The technologist fell to the floor, unconscious. Sky began to stride across the room, but as he passed Boom he stopped, and his eyes faded to their normal color for a moment. Sky managed to get out, “I’m sorry, Boom,” before the greenish tinge returned to his eyes and his expression turned cold again.

Sky walked over to the back wall of the lab, where a large SPD shield hung. He placed his hand over the stylized dog’s head and a computerized voice said “DNA code confirmed. Voice code.”

Sky spoke, “Code: Tate, Azure, B, Command, execute.”

The computer responded, “Code, accepted,” and the shield split in half down the middle, revealing a small vault in the wall. Inside that vault was a single item, a one of a kind item . . . the Command Patrol Morpher, source of the SPD Shadow Ranger Power. Sky seemed to hesitate for a moment, then reached out and grabbed the morpher.


	14. Return of the Shadow Ranger Part 2

Kristoff “Kris” Forge, current SPD Alpha squad Green-3 Ranger burst through the front door of the family home like a man on a mission. “Dad? Ty? Anyone home?”

The voice of Aaron Forge, Kris’ father and a Lieutenant/Instructor for SPD called from the kitchen, “In here Kris.” The elder Forge walked into the front room, “Tyler’s off with his friends. What brings you by?”

“I guess its best Ty’s not here,” Kris muttered. “Dad . . . um, I’m not really sure how to start this . . .” Kris looked at the floor and rubbed the back of his head. His father waited for him to speak, but before Kris could continue the doorbell rang.

“Who could that be?” Aaron asked as he moved past his son. Aaron smiled as he checked the monitor next to the door and opened it, about to issue a warm greeting to Commander Sky Tate. However, before Aaron could speak his CO planted a vicious kick in the older officer’s chest. Aaron Forge was knocked to the floor.

“Dad?!” Kris Forge made to move to his father’s aid but was stopped dead by a shimmering blue force field. Kris punched the barrier, to no effect. “Commander?”

Sky’s response was to pull out the Shadow Morpher and point it at Aaron, “Emergency Containment!” A beam of energy lashed out from the morpher and struck the fallen SPD officer. There was a flash of light and when it cleared all that was on the floor was a small, gray data card featuring a static image of Aaron Forge and a few status lights.

Kris couldn’t believe what he had just seen. His Commander, a man he had revered from childhood as one of the Rangers who saved the Earth, and the Galaxy, from the Troobians had just used the morpher’s emergency containment feature, a system designed to put severely injured civilians or SPD personnel in a kind of stasis when direct evac was problematic, on his father. Commander Tate calmly picked up the containment card. “Commander? Why?” Kris asked.

Commander Tate looked at Kris with cold, green-blue eyes. There was an edge in his voice, almost unnatural as Sky said, “Ask your brother,” before disappearing in a flash of indigo teleport energy.

*********************************************************************** 

Tyler, Conrad, Nia, and Andrea had found a secluded area of the park where Nia and Tyler had spent most of the morning giving Andrea and Conrad a crash course in martial arts and SPD hand-to-hand techniques.

Conrad and Nia had now been sparring for almost ten minutes without either of them hitting the ground. Conrad was a fast learner, but he knew he wasn’t that fast.

“Come on, Nia! If you’re gonna fight with me, fight with me!”

Nia caught Conrad’s arm in a lock, “I didn’t want to embarrass you, Con.”

Conrad managed to get loose and spun away, “Don’t want to bruise my boy ego?”

“Something like that,” Nia said, blushing slightly.

“Nia, I can handle it,” Conrad commented as the circled each other. “I don’t expect to be able to beat you; you’ve been studying this stuff since you learned to walk.”

“Oh, well, in that case,” Nia moved in a blur, and before Conrad realized what was happening, he was on his back with Nia standing over him in a finishing posture.

“Wow,” was all Conrad managed for a moment as Nia grinned. “However, you realize that now you have to teach me how you did that.”

“Well, that is the point of us doing this,” Andrea commented.

“I’m just glad you and Con are being so positive about this ‘Drea,” Tyler said. “When Nia and I thought of this, we weren’t sure how you guys would take it.”

Nia had helped Conrad up and he was dusting himself off. “Like I said Ty, I, and I think ‘Drea does too, get it. We can’t always depend solely on the abilities our powers give us, but she and I haven’t had the kind of training you and Nia have had.”

Andrea nodded, “Yeah guys. I mean, I’m not fond of fighting and had the two of you suggested this a month ago I would have said no way . . . but fighting for the world on a near daily basis changes a girl’s opinion.”

Suddenly, over by the cooler they had brought along, Nia’s phone began to ring. She sprinted over and picked it up. “Oh, hi Mom. What? We’re at the park. He what? Did he say why? Okay, okay, I’ll tell him.” She looked up, “Ty, that was my mom. She said your brother just called there looking for you and he sounded upset. He asked her to tell you you’re needed at home right now.”

************************************************************************

Tyler burst in the front door. His brother Kris was pacing in the living room. As his younger sibling entered, Kris wheeled on him, “Where in the Names of the Gods have you been!?!”

Tyler stopped dead, “What!? I was at the park! Dad knows exactly where I was! What’s going on? Where’s Dad?!” Tyler began to panic.

Kris pulled himself together, in spite of his suspicions. “I came over to talk to Dad . . . about something, and then Commander Tate showed up with the Shadow Morpher and kidnapped Dad.”

Tyler’s jaw dropped to the floor. “What? Commander Tate? Sky?” Then it was Tyler’s turn to get angry, “Why did you let him do that?!”

“I don’t get cleared until tomorrow, my morpher is still deactivated, and he blocked me with one of his force fields!” Kris looked at his brother, but Tyler seemed to be looking at his left wrist. Kris calmed, “Tyler, when I asked Commander Tate why he was doing it . . . he said to ask you.”

Tyler continued to look at his wrist.

“Ty?”

Suddenly the younger Forge seemed to come to a decision. He nodded and quickly crossed to his brother, wrapping his arms around Kris. Kris thought Tyler was seeking a hug and started to embrace his little brother when he felt Tyler do something with his hands behind his back. Kris sucked in a sharp breath as the red teleport effect enveloped them both.


	15. Return of the Shadow Ranger Part 3

In a flash of red teleport energy, Tyler and Kris materialized in Sanctuary. Tyler stepped back from his brother and looked at him questioningly. Kris, for his part, was taking in his new surroundings. Finally, Kris spoke.

“Where are we?”

“We call it the Sanctuary,” replied Tyler.

“And, so, you’re a . . .” Kris seemed to be unable to say the word just yet.

“Yeah.”

“And that flash? The teleport . . . red?”

“Yeah. Kris, look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but with us knowing so little about the enemy we thought it was best to go old school and keep everything secret and . . .” Tyler began to speak in a rush.

“Ty, calm down, it’s okay. I mean, I kinda suspected yesterday when we were watching the fight in the quarry. I’m just not sure whether to be proud of you . . . or jealous because you made Red before me.” Kris gave his younger brother a smile. “However, why would Commander Tate kidnap Dad?”

“He is likely being controlled by our enemy,” came the response from a nearby doorway. Tyler and Kris turned to see the robed and hooded form of Grandmother enter.

Kris started to ask, “Who . . .” but Tyler stepped in.

“Grandmother, I’m sorry. I know this is against the whole secret identity thing, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

Grandmother put a gloved hand on Tyler’s shoulder, “It’s alright Tyler. Your brother is a Ranger in his own right, and Rangers of any grouping have and always will be welcome here.” Though deeply concealed in shadow, as always, Grandmother’s face turned to regard the elder Forge brother, “And in that spirit, I greet you Kris. You may call me Grandmother.”

“Grandmother?” Kris asked, “That’s an odd name. What’s your part in all of this?”

Grandmother chuckled softly, as Tyler blushed crimson at his brother’s rudeness, “Tyler has spoken of your investigator’s mien. Grandmother is not my name; it is more of a title. I have not used my given name in . . . well; it’s been quite a while. As for my part . . . I am the GeoForce Ranger’s mentor, and a Guardian of the Earth.”

Tyler looked at his brother, “Think Zordon . . . minus the whole giant floating head thing.”

Grandmother chuckled again, “Well, I’m not quite on Zordon’s level, but I manage. Now, Kris, tell me what happened in full detail and perhaps we can get to the bottom of this together.”

Kris related the events around his father’s kidnapping, much in the way he would in a formal debriefing. When he was finished Grandmother summoned the other Rangers, who arrived in flashes of blue, green and yellow. The other three Geo Rangers were shocked to see Kris there, but more understanding once Tyler explained the situation.

“Is it possible that it wasn’t Commander Tate, but some kind of Biorg?” Andrea asked.

“I’d think that too, if he didn’t have the Shadow Morpher,” Kris responded. “The safe it’s kept in uses a deep-genome scanner to determine identity. And that’s on top of all the med-scans they ran on him when Beta squad brought him in. Somewhere along the line he would have gotten caught.”

“I must concur with Kris’ logic,” Grandmother conceded.

“Can we track the morpher?” Conrad asked.

“As Commander he can override the tracking features,” Kris said, nixing that idea.

“If he morphs,” Grandmother interjected, “we will be able to detect a spike in the morphing grid . . . but as yet he has not done so.”

Kris looked up . . . wondering how Grandmother was able to track changes in the SPD morphing grid, but now was not the time to ask and get everyone off task.

Tyler was starting to pace when Nia spoke up, “Wait. Grandmother, that day in the park, I used my helmet scanner to evaluate Commander Tate. Do we still have that data?”

“Yes, we do. However, tracking a single human in a city of millions, even with the scanners we have available, will take hours.”

Andrea saw where Nia was heading, “But, Commander Tate isn’t a regular human.”

Nia smiled, “Right, he’s got that force field power. His DNA’s unique. It should make him stand out to the scanner, right?”

Andrea crossed over to the control crystals and a keyboard appeared under her hands and a screen in front of her. “And, if I correlate the DNA scan with a scan for low levels of the bio-cybernetic energy signature . . . I mean, they’ve got to be controlling him somehow.”

A tense few moments passed, and then Andrea yelled, “Got him! I found him!” She expanded the screen. “Here, in the warehouse district!”

Kris said, “Alright, let’s go.”

Tyler turned around to face Kris, “Oh no, you’re staying here.”

“What?! If you think I’m not going after Dad . . .”

“With what?!” Tyler demanded. “You told me yourself your morpher is still offline. You wouldn’t last a minute if Sky morphed. I can’t worry about rescuing Dad and protecting you at the same time!”

Kris opened his mouth to protest, but then shut it. He had been raised the same way Tyler was and he couldn’t deny what the very feelings their mother had always taught him to listen to were telling him. He knew what his little . . . no, his brother’s powers represented and where they came from. The Spirits had chosen Tyler, and Kris couldn’t argue with that . . . especially since he was right. Plus, all that SPD training made it difficult for Kris to argue with the Red Ranger.

When Kris finally spoke, it was to say, “You’re right. Go get our Dad back . . . Geo Red.”

Tyler smiled the biggest smile Kris had seen since their mother died. Tyler looked back at his friends, his team and said, “Ready guys? **It’s Morphin’ Time!**”

The GeoForce Rangers morphed and teleported out. As they did so, Grandmother observed that Andrea in her excitement had failed to notice four other enhanced human signatures that had come up in her scan. She smiled a hidden smile as she noted they were moving in a group towards the same warehouse to which her Rangers had just teleported.


	16. Return of the Shadow Ranger Part 4

The part of Commander Sky Tate that was still Sky looked at his surroundings as the thing controlling his body waited for the GeoForce Rangers to appear. Sky wasn’t sure if this site, the place he, Syd, and Bridge first fought Jack and Z and discovered that they too had special powers, leading to the formation of the full B Squad, was his choice, some kind of sick irony on behalf of Malika, or just random chance. It ultimately didn’t matter, as Sky had already been used to violate nearly everything he held dear. In his hand was an emergency-class containment card. In that card, in stasis so therefore oblivious to what was happening, was the Red Geo Ranger’s father, himself an SPD officer, Aaron Forge. Acting under the control of the thing in his brain Sky had gone to the Forge home, Aaron opening the door to him, implicitly trusting his CO, and then Sky kidnapped the older officer using the Shadow Morpher’s emergency containment feature.

Thinking about the Shadow Morpher brought another sting of guilt. Sky had attacked Boom, one of his oldest friends within SPD. He hit Boom hard with a force field and a lot of stuff from the rack he hit had fallen on him. Sky wondered how he was doing.

Unfortunately, Sky’s brief respite to think for himself was cut off as the controller kicked in, responding to red, green, yellow, and blue teleport pulses.

Tyler, in his Red Ranger armor, stepped forward, pointed at Sky, and said, “Give me that containment card Sky.”

The controller took over completely and eyes that were far darker and greener than Sky’s normal ice blue regarded the GeoForce Rangers manically, “Now, now children, the Master would be upset if I gave up my advantage so easily.” Sky held up the card, holding it so that the Rangers could see the static image on its screen of Aaron Forge. “Here’s how we’re going to do this. I’m going to count to five. Before I reach five, you will all power down and give me your morphers. If I reach five and you haven’t done so, I crush the containment card. You do know what happens to the subject when their card is destroyed, don’t you Tyler?”

Conrad, the Green GeoForce Ranger was standing in a ready stance next to Tyler, “Ty?”

“If the card is destroyed, the subject is lost. Effectively dead,” Tyler responded, never taking his eyes off Sky.

Sky, or more appropriately, the thing controlling him, smiled evilly. “Here we go . . . 1.”

“2.”

“Ty . . . should we?” Andrea asked.

“3.”

“I can’t let my Dad die. Power d . . .” Tyler was saying when he was cut off by another voice yelling, “It’s not over yet Rangers!” from behind Sky.

The GeoForce Rangers looked at Sky, just in time to witness a dark-skinned hand coming out through his chest. That hand swiftly became an arm, which then became Jack Landors, former SPD B Squad Red Ranger! Jack snatched the card from the shocked Sky’s hand as he regained solidity. He then somersaulted and flipped away, coming to rest a few feet to the side of the GeoForce Rangers. Sydney “Syd” Drew, Bridge Carson, and Elizabeth “Z” Delgado gathered around him. “We won’t let you be used like this Sky!” Jack declared.

*********************************************************************

In his hidden lair, the Master had been monitoring the situation. He yelled in rage, “No! Carson’s stronger than I gave him credit for. Malika,” he looked at his female servant, “full power to the controller. Tate will morph and destroy his friends and the GeoForce Rangers, or die trying!”

*********************************************************************

Sky suddenly grabbed his head and bent over with a howl of pain. The Rangers and the ex-Rangers took a step towards him, but stopped dead when Sky looked up. His eyes were now completely green and glowed slightly. “You haven’t won yet!” He reached into the holster in the small of his back and pulled out the Shadow Morpher. Holding it before him, Sky yelled **“SPD, Emergency!”** He pressed the button that activated the morphing sequence, and in a flash of light the Shadow Ranger once again stood on the streets of New Tech City. With a maniacal laugh Sky yelled, “Dark Shadow Ranger!” and drew the new Shadow Saber. Anubis Cruger had taken the original with him when he took over at SPD Galactic Command, but before her own departure Kat Manx had created a replacement that was every bit as powerful.

Tyler looked over at the B Squad members, “Get out of here! Your meta-powers won’t help you against him now!”

Jack just grinned that devil-may-care grin that had driven Sky insane back in the day, “Who said we were planning to fight him with our powers? Ready guys?”

In response to the question, the four former Rangers drew Patrol Morphers. The Dark Shadow Ranger took a step back, “What?” as in unison they held out their morphers and yelled,

**“SPD, EMERGENCY!!!”**

The four were bathed in brilliant flashes of red, green, yellow, and pink. And when the flashes cleared . . . the SPD B Squad Power Rangers stood once again clad in their Ranger armor!

Jack struck a fighting stance, “SPD B Squad Red Ranger 1!”

Followed by Bridge, “SPD B Squad Green Ranger 3!”

Z was next, yelling “SPD B Squad Yellow Ranger 4!”

Syd closed it out with “SPD B Squad Pink Ranger 5!” as the lights on all four Rangers’ helmets flashed.

The Dark Shadow Ranger went into a ready stance, “I don’t know where you got those morphers, but they won’t save you!” And with that he charged Jack. Jack drew his dual blasters and began firing, but the blasts were deflected away by the Shadow Saber. Jack dodged the slash that was aimed at his head and he and the SPD Rangers scattered, regrouping by the GeoForce Rangers. “I see he’s improved his sword technique,” Jack commented.

“Oh yeah,” Tyler said, “let’s see how he likes mine. Inferno Sword!”

“Okay kid, here we go!” Jack went into a square stance and began firing at Sky again. When he got in range, Tyler leapt up over Jack and came down with a slash of his own sword. Sky blocked, but before he could counter-attack Jack and Tyler flipped away.

As the Reds cleared out, the Greens, Bridge and Conrad rushed in, attacking with baton and Geostaff. Sky managed to block the baton, but couldn’t avoid the staff. Backed up by the Strength of Earth the blow sent Sky flying.

As Green attacked, Nia looked at Sky through her scanner and now saw the bio-mechanical object lodged in his brain. She also saw that his bio-stress readings were increasing rapidly. “He’s fighting it! But he can’t last long. We’ve got to end this quickly!”

Z nodded then looked at Andrea, “Time for Yellow!” Andrea nodded and followed Z. As Sky regained his feet the Yellow Rangers flipped over him, Z peppering him with shots from her blaster, Andrea with Aero Shock bolts. 

Sky was staggered again, but before he could regain his composure Pink and Blue double teamed him. Syd went down into a leg sweep as Nia slammed a spinning heel kick into Sky’s chest. The result sent him flipping head over heels three times before hitting the ground.

Bridge could sense the things Nia’s scanner was telling her, “We’ve got to force him to de-morph!”

“If all that abuse didn’t do it, then there’s only one way,” Jack responded, pulling out a metallic, barbell-shaped object. “Cannons.”

“What!?” Tyler asked, shocked. “That could kill him.”

With a frightening certainty in his voice Jack replied, “Sky would rather be dead than let evil use him like this.” The other three B Squad members nodded in agreement.

“Alright,” Tyler said with resignation.

Jack called out “RIC!” as he threw the barbell into the air. There was a mechanical bark as an extremely large model SPD mecha-canid appeared, jumped up and grabbed the barbell. Suddenly its hind section flipped over, its tail became a handle and its front legs came up and extended two barrels. It dropped down and the B Squad Rangers grabbed it.

Tyler looked at his team, “Power weapons!” Conrad, Andrea, and Nia summoned their weapons. “Let’s bring ‘em together!”

Each GeoForce Ranger threw their power weapon in the air, where the Quake Hammer, Tsunami Lance, Tornado Sais, and Inferno Sword came together and dropped down into the Ranger’s waiting hands.

The Dark Shadow Ranger got back on his feet as the B Squad Rangers yelled, “Canine Cannon!”

And the GeoForce Rangers yelled, “Quadra-Force Cannon!”

And as one, all eight Rangers yelled, **“FIRE!”**

The cannon blasts lashed out, merging at a point in space that was, unfortunately for him, currently occupied by the Dark Shadow Ranger. There was a tremendous explosion and Sky was thrown backwards, slammed into a wall, and fell to the ground demorphing.

The two Ranger teams ran up to the fallen form of Sky Tate. Bridge and Nia knelt down beside him.

In a small voice Bridge said, “His aura is fading.”

Nia, in a much more panicky voice said, “His entire system is in shock. I think the thing in his brain is trying to self-destruct.”

Andrea asked, “Can you heal him, like you did in the park?”

Nia put her hands on Sky, “I don’t think so, there’s so much more damage and the thing they put in his head.”

Grandmother suddenly spoke over the GeoForce Ranger’s comlinks, “Nia alone is not strong enough to heal Commander Tate. But together you are my GeoForce.”

Tyler looked up, his voice unusually commanding as he spoke to the senior Rangers, “Stand back.”

The other Rangers backed off as the GeoForce Rangers stood in a circle around sky. They linked hands and Tyler said, “Power of Fire!” and his whole body began to glow red.

Nia was next, invoking the power of Water, as her body began to glow a cool blue. Then Conrad became enveloped in green light as he called the power of Earth. Finally Andrea became a glowing yellow radiance as she called upon the power of Air. The four GeoForce Rangers raised their arms; hands still linked, and with one voice cried out,

**“Elemental Force! Power of Healing!”**

The Rangers individual glows merged, becoming the purest light. The SPD Rangers had to turn away, as their helmet visors were not enough to filter out the brilliance. All except Bridge, who had already stopped looking at the scene with his physical eyes. Under his helmet, from his tightly closed eyes, tears were streaming down his face at the wonders his powers were showing him.

The light finally faded, revealing four unmorphed teenagers who all collapsed to the ground exhausted. Jack, Syd, and Z rushed over. Bridge finally snapped out of it and rushed over too. They were about to check on the kids and Sky when a teleport effect enveloped all of them . . . as somewhere hidden, Malika and Crul cowered as the Master roared in rage.


	17. Return of the Shadow Ranger Epilogue

Nine flashes of teleportation energy deposited the four GeoForce Rangers, the unconscious form of Sky Tate, and still morphed remaining former B Squad SPD Rangers into a softly lit chamber with several beds. Through a nearby doorway Kris Forge and Grandmother entered. Kris immediately went to work getting Commander Tate onto one of the beds.

Grandmother approached the B Squad members. “You may power down. This is Sanctuary, base of operation for the GeoForce Rangers.” She then moved over and touched a crystal set in the wall above Sky’s bed, bringing up a holographic display of his vitals.

They seemed reluctant until Tyler approached Jack, “As one Red Ranger to another, you can trust her. Just ask my brother,” he said, pointing at Kris, “He’s SPD after all.”

Bridge powered down and looked at Kris, “Ranger Forge?”

Kris turned and saluted, “Lieutenant Commander Carson.”

“Now it makes more sense,” Bridge said. “I mean, why kidnap the SPD officer father of a Ranger who couldn’t even morph at the moment, when there are far more important people you can kidnap, no offense, when you can kidnap the SPD officer father of the Red Ranger whose team keeps beating you?”

The three still armored B Squad Rangers just shook their heads . . . some things never changed and Bridge’s tendency towards complicated exposition was one of them. They then powered down.

But now Jack had questions. “Okay, I get that he’s Alpha Squad,” he said, indicating Kris, “Green right? Okay, and if you’re this team’s Red Ranger going after your Dad would be a way to hurt you, but why use Sky?”

Grandmother answered, “There is likely a dual reason. Our current adversary initially appeared to target the Alpha squad for destruction but failed when the GeoForce manifested. Destroying SPD appears to be a continued focus. There is also the irony factor.”

“Irony?” Z asked.

“Yes,” Grandmother continued. “Commander Tate, through SPD’s investigation into the attack on the Ranger museum, had learned that Tyler, Conrad, Andrea, and Nia were the GeoForce Rangers and revealed that knowledge to them. He was “in on it” so to speak.”

“Okay,” Conrad butted in, “I get all that, but how did the bad guys find out? Malika attacked us in our civvies the same day Commander Tate came to us.”

“I believe I have the answer to that. Geo Rangers, and anyone else who is interested, follow me to the main chamber please,” Grandmother said, and then turned and headed out of the room.

Bridge did not follow, indicating that he would stay with Sky, as eight Rangers representing three different teams followed Grandmother into the main chamber. Once there Grandmother brought up a holographic interface and a screen.

“I too was bothered by the coincidence of both Commander Tate approaching you and Malika attacking you on the same day.” Grandmother moved her gloved hands over the interface and a picture of SPD Headquarters appeared on the screen. “A scan of the SPD base revealed a high concentration of the same type of chloro-nanites our enemy is so fond of . . . here.” The screen had switched to a building schematic and a spot in a room down the hallway from the Command Center was flashing.

Jack remembered enough about the building to say, “That’s the Commander’s office . . . I mean Sky’s office.”

“So, his office has been bugged with these . . . what kind of nanites?” Z asked.

“Chloro-nanites,” Andrea answered. “Plant based bio-cybernetic nanotech.”

“Plant based?” Syd’s hands went to her mouth and her eyes suddenly widened. “Sky’s plant!” When everyone turned to look at her, she continued, “The one I gave him to liven up his office.”

From the doorway leading to the healing room a voice replied, “See, you should have just let me kill it through neglect.”

Everyone turned to see Sky, being supported by Bridge. “How do you feel?” asked Jack.

There was a haunted look in Sky’s ice blue eyes as he said, “Like the Megazords have been playing hockey in my skull. And like I now understand parts of Tommy Oliver’s memoirs in a way I would never have wished for.”

“Who?” Conrad whispered to his teammates.

“Green, White, original Zeo and Turbo Red,” whispered back Tyler.

“And before that the evil Ranger, controlled by Rita Repulsa,” finished Andrea.

Sky, now supporting his own weight walked over to Tyler, “I am so sorry. To both of you,” he added, looking at Kris.

Kris stood at a relaxed attention, “It’s alright sir, we know it wasn’t really you.”

“Ditto,” added Tyler. “The bad guys just thought you were the perfect way to get at us. And they were right. Without Mr. Landors’ lead . . .”

Jack interrupted with, “Ergh. Jack, please call me Jack.”

“Okay. Um, well, without Jack’s lead I wouldn’t have been willing to shoot you.”

The other GeoForce Rangers nodded in agreement.

“I’m glad you did follow his lead,” Sky said with a smile. “I would rather have been dead then allowed them to use me.” Looking around at everyone Sky now said, “However, there are a few lingering questions: what do we do about your father; how exactly were they able to control me; and,” he now looked pointedly at his peers, “where the hell did you get those morphers?”

“I didn’t question it at the time, but I’m wondering that myself Jack,” added Syd. Z and Bridge nodded in agreement.

Jack just smiled that smile, until Z slugged him in the arm, “Talk, Landors.”

Jack rubbed his arm, “Landors? Oh come on Z, I haven’t done anything bad enough for you to call me that.”

Z just looked at Jack with a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, okay. Remember Cruger rule number one? Always have a back-up plan. About six months before he left Earth to take over as High Commander, Anubis came to me and asked me for a favor. Under his orders Kat had secretly created a back-up set of our morphers, a set that is not detectable by the grid monitors in Command even when in use. Given that I was no longer directly connected to SPD, Anubis gave me the morphers to use in an extreme emergency. I decided that this was an extreme emergency.”

Sky nodded and then said, “Wait, I recall Bridge was wearing Green . . . does that mean?”

“Yep,” Jack responded with a grin, “I have a full set.”

Sky seemed to digest that for a moment. “Okay, on to the other problems.”

“We can answer the question of how you were controlled,” said Grandmother. “Nia?”

Nia brought up the data from her helmet bio-scanner, “You had this giant amoeba looking thing in your brain. It’s made from the same type of nanotech as the Biodrones and Biorgs. But it’s got this weird biological signature.”

The B Squad Rangers all looked at the chemical formula that was displayed. Jack asked, “Why does that look familiar?”

Bridge answered, “It’s the formula for the synthetic plasma that was stolen from Hemotech and used to create the Magnificence ten years ago.”

Z added, “But that formula was outlawed for that very reason. Hemotech now markets a version that doesn’t have the metagenic properties. So where would they have gotten this? Synthetic plasma doesn’t last that long in storage.”

Conrad snapped his fingers, “Hey, wasn’t that cat-cactus Biorg sneaking around some company with a “tech” in its name?”

“Yes,” Andrea answered, “Genometech. It’s involved in the same kind of bio-tech business Hemotech is but is nowhere near as successful.”

Sky’s expression hardened. There had been rumors about Genometech and black-market activities, but nothing concrete enough to act on. He looked at Kris. “Alpha is supposed to be cleared for duty tomorrow, correct?”

“Yes sir.”

“I want your squad on Genometech’s doorstep two minutes after that.”

“Yes sir!” Kris saluted with a grin. Then he got serious. “That just leaves my Dad.”

Sky sighed, “The real question is, how do you want this done? I can use the Shadow Morpher to reverse the emergency containment anywhere, or we can take your father back to HQ. Regardless, he’s going to have a lot of questions. Tyler, how many do you want answered for him?”

Tyler looked at his brother. “Your call, Ty.”

“Oh, thanks,” Tyler responded with sarcasm.

Grandmother now spoke, “Tyler, all my GeoForce. With your identities known to our enemies, it is perhaps better that all of your families know.”

Panic crossed the features of the young Rangers.

Despite Bridge’s ability to read emotions, Syd still had him beat in what to do with them and spoke up on behalf of her team, “Don’t worry guys. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’ll help you break the news to your folks.”

The GeoForce Rangers exchanged several glances.

“Okay,” said Tyler, “let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Sky put through hell but not dead. You can put down the pitchforks now.
> 
> Next is coming out day for our Rangers


	18. Come Out, Whatever You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Rangers "celebrate" their own Coming Out Day

Tyler was pacing in the living room. He had tried sketching, but his hands were shaking too much, he was so nervous. Kris had gone back to SPD Headquarters with Sky, Jack, Syd, Bridge, and Z to get their father released from containment and to explain what had happened to him. Kris had called ten minutes ago and told Tyler that the process went well and they were on their way home. Tyler was making another circuit of the room when he heard the front door unlock. He looked up to see his father and brother enter.

Tyler went over to his father and hugged him, “Glad to see you three dimensional again Dad.”

Aaron Forge chuckled, “Good to be 3D again,” returning his son’s hug. Pulling away, he sighed and said, “Well, it certainly has been a day. You boys up for dinner?”

Both were silent for a moment, until Kris glared at Tyler. Tyler swallowed hard and said, “Um, it’s not quite over yet Dad. Can you, um, sit down? I . . . um, I’ve got something I have to tell you.”

The elder Forge looked puzzled but took a seat on the couch. Kris took a seat in a nearby chair, and Tyler remained standing in the middle of the room.

“Okay Tyler, what’s up?” his father asked.

“Um, yeah. Okay.” Tyler sighed. “Dad, there’s something I’ve been keeping from you, mainly for your safety, but as today proved you’re in more danger not knowing . . .”

“What do you mean Tyler? You didn’t have anything to do with what happened to Commander Tate and me,” Aaron tried to reassure his son.

“Yes, I did Dad. I asked Sky . . . Commander Tate, to let me tell you. But . . . maybe its better I just show you.” With that, Tyler lifted his left wrist, his chrono becoming his GeoMorpher in a flash of red.

“Tyler, what is that?” Aaron asked with some alarm.

“Power of Fire,” Tyler spoke the words quietly, but it was still enough. Flames burst out from his morpher and spread across his body. Before Aaron could react to the sight of the flames, his youngest son stood before him as the Red GeoForce Ranger.

Aaron froze for a second, half out of his seat. His expression slowly changed from shock to concerned curiosity, “Tyler?”

The Red GeoForce Ranger brought his hands up to the sides of his helmet and he hit the hidden release. The helmet split up the sides, allowing Tyler to remove it. Tyler unconsciously tucked the helmet under his arm, “Yeah Dad, it’s me. I’m the Red GeoForce Ranger.”

Aaron was completely on his feet now, looking at his younger son. Off to the side, Kris kept and eye on his father, uncertain how the older officer was responding to this news. “When . . . how?” Aaron asked Tyler.

“That day at the museum . . . the Spirits of the Elements chose me, Andrea, Conrad, and Nia,” Tyler answered.

Aaron Forge looked at his older son, “You knew?”

“I suspected yesterday, when they rescued Commander Tate in the quarry. We were in Command monitoring, and I saw the Red Ranger use moves that only two other people besides me would use. You and Ty. But I didn’t know for sure until you had been kidnapped, when Ty teleported us to his team’s base,” responded Kris.

Aaron Forge now approached his son, his baby. His right hand came up and he gently traced the flame symbol on Tyler’s chest. Then in a swift movement he swept his son into one of his infamous bear hugs, crushing the air out of Tyler while exclaiming, “Myboy’saRedRanger! TheRangeroffire! Yourmotherwouldbesoproud!”

Kris started laughing, “Was that even English?!”

Tyler shot his older brother a nasty look as he struggled to free himself. “Dad! Need air!”

Aaron released his son, who fell back gasping for air, dropping his helmet in the process. “Good Gods, Dad! That hug should be registered as a dangerous weapon!”

“Crushed the air right out of you, even through the armor, didn’t it Ty?” Kris asked, still laughing.

“Yeah,” Tyler replied, breathlessly.

“He did the same thing to me the first time he saw me morphed. Mom complained about it all the time too.”

Aaron now turned a bit pink, “Excuse me boys. How about some respect for your old man, who happens to be in the room?”

Tyler and Kris exchanged a look and started laughing harder.

“Anyway,” Aaron continued, “This is great. I mean, already being a Ranger, the Academy will be nothing more than a formality.”

Tyler and Kris stopped laughing.

“What?” asked Aaron.

Tyler looked at Kris, who motioned for him to go ahead. Tyler straightened up, and swallowed hard. “Dad . . . even with . . . no, especially because of being a Ranger in my own right . . . I, um, I don’t want to go to the Academy. I don’t want to join SPD.”

“What?” Aaron asked quietly, as if he didn’t think he heard his son right, then louder, “What?! SPD is a family tradition! How can you turn your back on that?! If your mother were here . . .!”

“She’d tell Tyler to follow his heart,” Kris interjected into his father’s impending rant. His voice was quiet, but forceful.

Aaron turned on his elder son . . . and stopped dead. Kris was sitting calmly in his chair; legs crossed, fingers steepled, wearing his gray and green Ranger uniform, contrasting his father who was in civvies, but who normally wore the standard gray and black of a patrol officer. Kris’ eyes met Aaron’s and in that moment, father truly realized his son was a man in his own right . . . and one who also outranked him. Aaron Forge had always hoped his son would become a Ranger; he himself had been too old when the program was restructured but had never realized the kind of quiet power Kris would learn from it.

In the same calm voice, Kris said, “Tell me I’m wrong Dad.”

Tyler watched the entire exchange in mute surprise. Aaron looked back at Tyler for a moment, and then answered, “I can’t. All your Mom ever wanted for you two was to find what made you happy. Have you, Tyler?”

“Yeah Dad, I have. I . . .” Tyler was cut off by a beeping from his helmet. “Hold on.” Tyler picked up his helmet and put it back on. Aaron and Kris could hear Tyler’s half of the conversation.

“Tyler here, go ahead. Yeah? Crap. Okay. On my way.” Tyler’s head came up, and is visor faced his father, “I gotta go. Looks like Malika and Crul’s boss is throwing a hissy fit over us rescuing you and Sky. But Dad, we’ll talk when I get back.”

Aaron nodded, and put his hand on his son’s shoulder, “Okay. Be careful. I love you Tyler.”

Tyler nodded in response, took a step back, and put both hands on his belt buckle, initiating teleportation, and vanished in a flash of red light.

*********************************************************************

Nia entered her house through the kitchen door, to be met by her mother who immediately began with, “Where have you been?! You were supposed to be home over an hour ago! Why didn’t you answer your phone?! Do you know . . .” Micky Chen stopped mid-sentence as another person entered behind her daughter. Nia’s father, Samuel came into the kitchen in response to his wife’s yelling and sudden stop.

In a much calmer voice, her eyes fixated in the badge the stranger was wearing, Micky asked, “Nia, who is this?”

“Mom, Dad, this is Lieutenant Commander Sydney Drew,” Nia introduced the woman. “Syd, this is my mom, Micky, and my dad Samuel.”

Syd smiled warmly and said, “Hello.” She stopped for a moment, and then looked at Nia’s mother, “Wait, not **the** Micky Chen? The novelist?”

Nia’s mother seemed to be a bit in shock. She started out being furious with her daughter for being late and not calling or answering her phone. Now there was an SPD officer standing in her kitchen, who appeared to be a fan. “Um, yes,” was all she could manage.

Samuel Chen, as a sportswriter for the New Tech Daily News web-service, was a bit faster on the uptake, “Syd . . . Sydney Drew? You’re the former Pink Ranger, the one that fought the Troobians!”

Syd smiled again, “That would be me.”

Micky now recovered, “Alright, but what, may I ask, are you doing with my daughter?”

Syd looked at Nia. Nia blushed and said, “Um, can we all go into the other room . . . you’ll want to sit down for this. I have something to tell you, and Syd is here to help me.”

With very puzzled expressions Micky and Samuel moved into the living room, sitting down on the couch, and Nia and Syd joined them. 

Nia sat next to her parents, took her mother’s hands in hers and said, “Mom, Dad, you know how there’s been a new group of Rangers around ever since that day the Ranger museum got attacked?”

The Chens nodded. It was not a day they liked to think about, as Mrs. Chen, as had quite a few other parents of her classmates, called Nia in sick for school the next day.

“Well . . . I’m one of them. I’m the Blue GeoForce Ranger.”

Micky Chen stared blankly at her daughter. Samuel managed to ask “What?”

Her voice sounding far away, Micky finally said, “That’s not possible.”

Nia seemed lost for what to do next, but Syd came to the rescue, “It is possible Mrs. Chen. I just fought alongside Nia. She’s very skilled.” Patting Nia, Syd continued, “Why don’t you show them?”

“Um, okay,” Nia stood and moved to the other side of the room. There she brought up her chrono, which transformed into her GeoMorpher. Then, speaking the activation code of “Power of Water,” Nia transformed into the Blue GeoForce Ranger. Nia removed her helmet and tucked it under her arm. “So, um, what do you think?”

Nia’s father let out a quiet, “Wow.”

Nia’s mother, on the other hand, was far from pleased. She jumped up from her seat, “No. NO! You are 15 years old! You cannot be a Ranger! I will not allow you to put yourself in danger! Take off that ridiculous outfit immediately young lady! I forbid this!”

Samuel Chen now stood and tried to calm his wife, “Micky, honey, calm down,” with little effect.

Syd also tried, “Mrs. Chen, I’m Commandant of the SPD Academy, and after what I saw today, I think your daughter has far more skill as a Ranger than I did starting out, and that’s after Academy training and being four years older than she is now.”

Micky Chen, however, was having none of it. Her husband had to restrain her, as she seemed to be trying to get to Nia to tear her Ranger armor off her, and just kept repeating, “I forbid it! I forbid it!”

Suddenly, the communicator in Nia’s helmet beeped. She put her helmet back on and responded to the call, “Nia here. On my way.” She looked up and said, “There’s trouble, I . . . I have to go.”

Syd and Samuel nodded, however Micky screamed, “Don’t you dare leave this house! You are grounded, Nia Chen! Do you here me?! GROUNDED!!!” as Nia placed both hands on her belt buckle and teleported out.

**********************************************************************

Andrea’s father, Matthew Eastman, was elbow deep in statistics when she arrived at her home with Z in tow. It took a few tries for Andrea to get her research Psychologist father’s attention. When he finally looked up to greet his daughter he stopped mid-greeting when he spotted Z . . . or, more accurately the SPD badge on her chest.

“Oh, um, hello. I didn’t realize Andrea would be bringing home a guest,” Matthew said as he stood.

“Dad, this is Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth “Z” Delgado, of the SPD Academy.” Andrea said by way of introduction. “Z, this is my dad, Matthew Eastman.”

Z extended her hand to Matthew, who took it cautiously, “A pleasure to meet you. You’ve raised a fine daughter,” Z commented, indicating Andrea, who blushed.

“Thank you,” Matthew ran a hand nervously through his hair, “Now, what exactly is your relationship to my daughter?”

Z looked at Andrea, “I think it’s best that she explains that. I’m just here to lend moral support.”

“Moral support? Andrea, why do you need moral support?” There was a hint of panic in Matthew Eastman’s voice. There was a reason he was a research psychologist . . . people fascinated him, but he did not deal with them very well in the real world.

Andrea grabbed her father, “Dad, calm down. A better way to put it is that Z is here as the voice of experience. You do know who she is, don’t you?”

Matthew looked at the SPD officer for a moment, “The name is familiar . . . but . . .”

“It’s okay, Mr. Eastman, we always put Syd out in front cause she liked the cameras. I was Yellow Ranger during the Troobian invasion,” Z said.

A light went off in Matthew’s head, “Voice of experience . . . Ranger . . .?” he looked at his daughter.

Andrea took a few steps back, and with a smile brought up her morpher and said, “Power of Air.” Storm clouds swirled about her body, and when they cleared, she stood there fully armored. She reached up and removed her helmet and with a smile said, “I’m the Yellow GeoForce Ranger, Dad!”

“I . . . Andrea? I . . . um, I think I need to sit down . . .” Matthew collapsed into a chair and began to hyperventilate slightly . . . just as Andrea’s helmet started beeping.

Z crossed to Matthew’s side, “It’s okay, Mr. Eastman, just try to breathe.” She looked up as Andrea put her helmet back on, “Trouble?”

“Yeah . . . Biorg,” Andrea answered. “Dad? Dad. Dad, I have to go, there’s a Biorg . . . a monster attacking, but I’ll be back, and we can talk more then.”

Matthew seemed to nod.

“Go,” said Z. “I’ll get your father calmed down.”

“Thanks,” Andrea said with a nod, straightened, and put both hands on her belt buckle, initiating teleportation.

*********************************************************************

Conrad had left with everyone else but had turned down offers from both Jack and Bridge to go with him to tell his parents about him being a Ranger. 

Once Andrea and Nia had left with Syd and Z, Conrad had started to head home, but about halfway there he found a secluded spot and teleported back to Sanctuary.

“Conrad? I am surprised to see you back so soon,” Grandmother said at his arrival.

Conrad ran his hands through his hair and looked at the floor.

“Conrad, is everything alright? Did the conversation with your parents go poorly?”

“Um, no . . . it went fine. Um . . . when we had it two weeks ago,” Conrad looked up sheepishly, blushing.

“Conrad, I thought we agreed that it was better to keep your identities secret as long as we thought they were secret from the enemy as well. For your family’s safety.”

“I know . . . but, it’s not like my family doesn’t know what it’s like to have a Ranger in the family. Well, an ex-Ranger, anyway.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, my grandmother, my Dad’s mom was . . . Kelsey Winslow.”

“The Yellow Lightspeed Ranger. I was never terribly familiar with them, but yes, now I can see a bit of a resemblance, around your eyes.”

“Yeah, that’s what my Dad says. I never knew her. She died in a mountain rescue mission when he was in his teens.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” Grandmother walked up to Conrad and put a hand on his arm. “She mostly dropped off the public’s radar after the demons were defeated. But what’s important now is that your family is alright with this?”

“Yeah, my Dad’s thrilled and my mom is . . . coping is the word Dad used. We’re a family of adrenaline junkies anyway. Mom’s a trauma surgeon. Dad’s a Search and Rescue specialist, just like Grandma Kelsey. One sister’s an EMT in Stone Canyon, and my other sister’s a NTC fire fighter.

“Hmm, I think the term adrenaline junky definitely applies to your family,” Grandmother chuckled, “In fact, I was beginning to be concerned about how much you seem to enjoy . . .” She was cut off by Sanctuary’s alarms as the control crystals began flashing and projecting displays of a Biorg tearing through downtown New Tech City.

“That didn’t take long,” Conrad observed with a scowl.

“No. Our enemy is retaliating due to his failed plan.” Grandmother called up an interface and contacted the Rangers. She got quick responses.

“Tyler here, go ahead.”

“Tyler, there is a new Biorg downtown,” Grandmother told him.

“Yeah?”

“Yes, this one is difficult to analyze. It appears to be a chimera, created from multiple animal sources. Teleport and I will have the others join you there.”

“Crap. Okay. On my way,” Tyler closed the communications channel as the system indicated he had teleported.

Conrad had simultaneously explained the situation to Andrea and Nia. Once they teleported, Conrad looked at Grandmother, and said, “Okay, looks like I’m gonna be the last one there. **Power of Earth!**” Conrad morphed and teleported to the attack site.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah . . . Mrs. Chen is bit . . . high strung.
> 
> But anyway, after two conversation heavy emotional chapters . . . next: a pointless brawl!


	19. Bad Guy Hissy Fit

The GeoForce Rangers materialized in flashes of red, green, yellow, and blue teleport pulses in the middle of one of New Tech City’s numerous downtown courtyards. Civilians ran past them, screaming. Why was readily apparent; Crul and Malika along with a dozen Biodrones and a Biorg that seemed to be a moving mass of writhing vines; some furry, some scaly, some even feathered, were cutting a swath of destruction.

“That’s enough!” Tyler yelled. “You lost. Deal with it. Throwing this kind of temper tantrum is low, even for you.”

Crul and Malika didn’t even respond. Both simply drew their swords, and with a joint yell, charged the Rangers.

Tyler managed to get out shorthand commands, “Me, Crul. Nia, Malika. ‘Drea and Con, Biorg. GO!” before catching the blade of Crul’s sword with his own.

Crul was slashing away, appearing to have abandoned form for power, “You! Your family! SPD! All will fall before our Master!”

“Yeah, yeah. Heard it all before. Just shut up and fight blue-boy!”

**********************************************************************

Nia met Malika’s attack with her Lance, blocking a side slash for the villainess’ katana-like sword.

“Impressive Ranger,” Malika sneered, “but you won’t be able to win against me!”

“Boast all you want freak,” Nia replied through gritted teeth.

**********************************************************************

Conrad and Andrea charged the Biorg, which lashed out with various tendrils resulting in the Green and Yellow Rangers spending more time avoiding blows then actually being able to do any damage. They also had to watch out for the Biodrones. 

Andrea had just flipped out of the way of another tentacle and was about to retaliate with an Aero Shock blast when she was grabbed by three Biodrones. However, no sooner had they grabbed her than blaster fire rained down on them, causing them to back off. Andrea looked up and spotted the Beta Squad SPD Rangers on the rooftops surrounding the courtyard. From there it was a simple matter for them to use their Enforcers to snipe the Biodrones. It took numerous shots from the weapons to take out one of the drones, but the assault would keep them off Andrea and Conrad’s backs.

Conrad back flipped over to Andrea, as he finished the last flip, he came down into a Terra Crush, knocking the Biorg off its “feet.”

“Where’s a giant set of hedge clippers when you need them?” he asked as he stood back up.

“Funny,” Andrea replied. “You know, it’s usually considered bad form to hit someone when they’re down . . .” she said, manifesting her Tornado Sais.

“Except this isn’t a someone,” Conrad hefted the Quake Hammer.

Together, they charged.

***********************************************************************

Tyler and Crul stood a few yards apart, swords pointed at each other, their armors smoking from multiple strikes, both obviously panting. Crul suddenly straightened and with a yell he charged, his sword glowing with indigo energy. Tyler charged in response, powering up his sword as well.

They came together, Crul slashed; Tyler blocked, deflected, and spun with the motion of the deflection, coming back around with a slash to Crul’s midsection. For a split-second Tyler thought that this was it, but then his charged sword met Crul’s armor and something completely unexpected happened.

From the point of impact, golden light exploded. The entire world seemed to freeze for an instant and then both Tyler and Crul were knocked away by a backlash of energy. Both Ranger and villain struggled to their feet, Crul still clutching his side. He took a step forward and stumbled.

Malika and Nia were distracted from their own fight by the burst of energy. When Malika saw Crul stumble, she broke away from Nia and rushed to Crul’s side. “You haven’t won yet, Rangers!” Malika pulled out a silver dagger that held a vial of glowing green liquid. Before Tyler or Nia could react, she turned and threw it into the tentacle Biorg. As the creature began to grow, Crul and Malika vanished in a flash of indigo-black light.

The Biorg’s tentacles lashed out as it grew, knocking chunks out of buildings resulting in the Beta Squad Rangers having to jump for safety and the GeoForce Rangers having to work to avoid being crushed under building fragments.

“We need the Megazord!” Andrea yelled.  
“Right,” Tyler responded, “GeoZords, arise!”

The Zords appeared and the Rangers leapt into their respective cockpits and then immediately initiated Megazord assembly. No sooner was the Megazord up and running than the Biorg wrapped one of its fur-covered tentacles around it and hundreds of millions of volts of electricity ran through the Megazord. The Rangers grabbed their controls and groaned in pain as the energy ran through them . . . until through gritted teeth Nia grabbed her controls and said, “Nice try . . . but didn’t anyone ever tell you that some aquatic creatures can absorb electricity?” With that the components of the Megazord formed from the Leviathan began sucking up the energy. “And the Leviathan is one of them!”

“Good thinking Nia,” Tyler said as the energy was drawn away. “How about a little return to sender?”

“Right,” responded Nia arming the Mega-Cannon, through which she channeled all the energy the Megazord had just absorbed. The Biorg was knocked off its “feet” by the blast.

“We’ve got to get it to a less densely built up part of the city before it wrecks everything,” Andrea advised.

“Right. Okay, grab it!” Tyler ordered.

The Megazord grabbed two handfuls of the Biorg’s tentacles, spread its wings and launched into the air, heading for the outskirts of the city. Halfway there the Biorg recovered and lashed out with its free tentacles, the Megazord shook under the attack.

“I think it wants down,” Conrad observed, bracing himself as the cockpit shook.

“’Drea?” Tyler questioned the Yellow Ranger.

“We’re good. We’re over the foothills near the quarries,” Andrea reported. “Drop it.”

From nearly a half mile up the Megazord dropped the Biorg. The ground shook as it crashed. Before the creature could get up the Megazord landed . . . a drop kick to its center of mass. Unfortunately, the Biorg wrapped several tentacles around the Megazord’s leg and smashed the giant mecha into the ground. The Biorg then lifted the Megazord up, over its own body, and smashed it into the ground again.

“We gotta get up!” cried Tyler.

“Primary and secondary servos are offline!” Conrad reported.

“Primary power core is fluctuating!” added Andrea.

“It’s getting ready to lift us again! Brace yourselves!” yelled Nia.

However, before the Biorg could lift the GeoForce Megazord again, it staggered under an assault of massive blaster bolts.

“What the . . .?” Tyler started to ask when a broadband broadcast came over the communications system.

“GeoForce Megazord, this is Alpha Squad. Thought you guys could use a moment to catch your breath,” came the voice of Dramlin Zell, Alpha Squad’s Red Ranger.

Tyler refocused the Megazord’s camera to see the Mark III SWAT Flyers strafing the Biorg. He flipped on the communicator, “Thought you guys were on medical leave.”

A voice Tyler was very familiar with, that of his brother, the Alpha Squad Green Ranger responded, “The docs got sick of us pestering them, so we got let loose early. We’ll keep this overgrown houseplant off you as long as we can.”

Tyler turned to his team, “They can only buy us a minute, guys. We know their Zords aren’t a match for these things. Let’s get back on our feet and finish this!”

Tyler grabbed the sides of his control crystal, “Power of Fire!” Tyler’s Fire energy flowed into the Megazord.

Andrea, Conrad, and Nia followed suit, invoking their power and channeling it into the Megazord. As the energy flowed in and combined the Megazord’s damage began to repair itself. In under a minute the GeoForce Megazord rose to its feet, without a single sign of damage and drew the Power Sword.

Tyler called over the comm channel, “Alpha Squad, get clear. This is thing is going down!” Looking at his teammates, he followed up with, “Okay guys, let’s do it!”

All together, the GeoForce Rangers commanded, “GeoForce Megazord Power Strike!”

The Megazord spread its wings and leapt into the air, energy building up in the blades of the Power Sword. As it reached the apex of its leap, it grabbed the sword handle with both hands and dropped down on the Biorg, slashing through the creature with the giant, glowing weapon. As the Megazord dropped to a crouch, completing its slash, the Biorg seemed frozen. The Megazord got up, sheathed its sword, and walked away as the Biorg separated along the line of the cut and exploded.

***********************************************************************

In a secure chamber within his lair, a chamber unknown to Malika and Crul, the Master reviewed the telemetry from Crul’s armor. Specifically, he was studying the energy released when the GeoForce Red Ranger’s sword contacted Crul.

“I suppose it was arrogant of me to think that I could eradicate the energies within those two,” he said to no one in particular. “Maybe if I had taken control of the situation when they were younger, prevented the aberrant DNA from propagating . . .”

He crossed the room; to where two large, translucent pods hung against the wall. He placed a hand on one of the pods. “No matter, really. After all, I will only have to depend on those two imperfect versions for a little while longer. Won’t I, my children . . .”


	20. That's a New Trick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get weirder

Tyler Forge, GeoForce Red Ranger of Fire grabbed the ankle of his opponent, stopping the kick aimed at his chest cold. He grinned at the surprised expression on the face of the owner of the ankle, his older brother Kris, SPD Alpha Squad Green-3 Ranger. He then twisted, forcing Kris to spin with the motion or suffer a twisted ankle. The result was Kris landing face down on the padded floor of the training room in the headquarters building of Space Patrol and Defense Terran Division.

Tyler helped his brother back to his feet. “You are stronger, and faster,” Kris commented.

“Yeah, Grandmother said that some of our powers would manifest regardless of whether or not we’re morphed. Although,” he continued, looking across the room, watching his friends and teammates spar with other of their Ranger elders, “so far nothing like the B Squad’s meta-powers.”

**********************************************************************

A few feet away, Sydney “Syd” Drew, former B Squad Pink Ranger and current SPD Academy Commandant was sparing with Nia Chen, GeoForce Blue Ranger of Water. In addition, somehow, both women were engaged in an animated conversation as they fought.

“So,” Syd asked, blocking Nia’s palm strike, “how’s your mom?”

Nia ducked under Syd’s counterstrike, her Fist of Iron, “She’s at that “elephant in the living room” acceptance stage. She’s fine as long as no one mentions the word Ranger.”

“A little overprotective? I noticed,” Syd said as she back flipped away from Nia’s spinning heel kick. “Wow, that’s fast.”

“Thanks,” Nia said with a smile as she closed the distance. “The only reason I got to study martial arts was because it’s a family tradition and my uncle’s my Sensei. Otherwise, I don’t think she would have allowed me.”

“She’ll come around eventually,” Syd reassured.

“I hope so,” Nia sighed.

************************************************************************

Off in one corner of the work out room Bridge Carson, ex-B Squad Green Ranger, and current Academy faculty member and SPD department head was going over the finer points of unarmed attack and defense with Andrea Eastman, GeoForce Yellow Ranger of Air. Bridge’s explanations of various moves and countermoves were dizzyingly complex . . . however, Andrea seemed to be following him perfectly and was now executing moves after a detailed explanation and an example.

************************************************************************

It had been a quiet few weeks since Sky Tate, emeritus B Squad Blue Ranger and current Commander of SPD Terran Division had been kidnapped and used in a plan to destroy the GeoForce Rangers. So, when Tyler told his brother about his and Nia’s ongoing work to help Andrea and Conrad, who had no martial training, develop their fighting skills he suggested these sparring sessions at SPD Command. The former B Squad members had been more than happy to help. Elizabeth “Z” Delgado, B Squad’s Yellow Ranger and current head of the Academy Flight school hadn’t been able to break away to join them . . . this week was the freshman cadets’ first experiences in the SPD jump jets, and all the flight faculty as well as half the Academy medical staff were on hand to deal with the possible aftermath.

Jack Landors, the B Squad’s original Red Ranger was also unable to join them. As head of New Tech Xeno Charities, he was stuck in meetings today with representatives from other cities with high extraterrestrial, otherwise known as Xeno, populations who wanted to replicate NTXC’s model.

This is how Conrad Mason, GeoForce Green Ranger of Earth had drawn Sky as his sparring partner. Conrad seemed to be doing okay, although he had this slightly panicked look in his eyes. He threw a punch, which impacted harmlessly on one of Sky’s force fields.

Sky raised an eyebrow as the force of the punch rippled through his field, “Glad I threw up that field . . . you kids are strong, but you especially Conrad.”

Conrad danced a few feet away, “Well, my sigil does mean “Strength of Earth.”

“That’s what Tyler said,” Sky continued as he circled Conrad. “And, you actually have some pretty good instincts when it comes to hand-to-hand. But, Conrad, one thing . . .”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let your opponent distract you!” As he said it, Sky forward flipped, closing the distance between him and Conrad and lashed out with a side kick to Conrad’s chest as he came up. Or, at least that’s what he intended to do . . .

There was a wet cracking sound as the kick connected with Conrad’s arms, which he had thrown up in a haphazard block. Sky hopped away on his supporting foot, holding the one he had tried to kick with, a pained expression on his face. Conrad looked down at his arms and discovered that they had turned to a green, marble-like stone. As he looked at them they changed back to normal flesh.

Tyler and Kris ran over to Conrad. Everyone else went to Sky.

Tyler saw the transition in Conrad’s arms, “Wow. That’s new.”

Syd and Bridge helped Sky to the floor. “I think my heel is broken,” he said through gritted teeth.

Syd sighed and stood, “I’ll call a medic.”

“Wait,” Nia stopped her. She knelt next to Sky and held her hands over his foot. What appeared to be a ball of water formed in her hands and then sunk down through Sky’s shoe and into his foot. Almost instantly his expression eased.

“I thought you could only do that while morphed,” he said to Nia.

“So did I,” Nia responded.

Kris looked at Tyler, “So far?”

Tyler rubbed the back of his head, “Yeah, um, scratch that.”

***********************************************************************

Tyler was walking home after parting ways with Conrad, Andrea, and Nia. He was thinking about how strange and amazing the last couple of months of his life had been. He went from being an ordinary kid to being a Ranger chosen by the elemental spirits themselves. He came out to his family as a Ranger and as an aspiring art student who had no desire to join SPD. His father was thrilled about the first . . . and dealing with the second . . . mostly. Apparently when Tyler had run off to fight Crul, Malika, and the tentacle Biorg after the announcements to his father, Kris had gone into his room, grabbed a bunch of his sketch books, and dropped them in Dad’s lap.

“Red Ranger.”

Tyler was snapped from his thoughts by a voice that was unfortunately familiar. He looked towards the trees off to the side of the path as Crul stepped out of the shadows.

Tyler went into a defensive pose, “What do you want, blue boy?”

Crul didn’t respond, he just charged Tyler. Tyler tried to morph, but Crul was too fast. Closing the distance in less than a heartbeat and wrapping his hands around Tyler’s throat.

“I will watch the light slowly fade from your eyes Ranger!” Crul said through gritted teeth.

Tyler grabbed onto Crul’s forearms, struggling against his foe’s greater strength, unable to speak. Crul pushed harder and Tyler’s vision began to blur. 

As the world darkened, Tyler heard a voice. A voice full of love and warmth. A voice he had not heard in five years. The voice of his mother. “Tyler. Fire burns away all falsehood.”

Crul was starting to laugh but then stopped as Tyler’s eyes suddenly cleared . . . and his hands burst into flames.

“A pathetic attempt Ranger. My armor . . .” Crul stopped as pain wracked his body, and just like the last time he and Tyler met, when the Inferno Sword had struck him, golden energy poured out of Crul’s body.

Crul tried to break away, but Tyler held on, the flames from his hands mixing with the golden energy. Tyler’s eyes widened as he looked into the growing corona of energy, because he no longer saw Crul. He saw a boy his age or only slightly older, about his own height, with blond hair and sky-blue eyes.

Crul screamed in rage and managed to kick Tyler away. Holding himself, glaring at Tyler, Crul backed up and vanished in an indigo flash.

“Fire burns away all falsehood,” Tyler whispered before he ran home, went directly to his room, pulled out a pad, and began sketching.


	21. I Know Who You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for this chapter: References to domestic homicide and kidnapping

Commander Sky Tate was sitting in his office at SPD Headquarters going over some reports when his communicator beeped.

“Tate here. Go ahead.”

“Sky?” Tyler Forge’s voice asked.

“Tyler? What’s wrong?”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes.”

Immediately there was a red flash in front of Sky as Tyler teleported into his office.

Sky shut off his communicator, “I assume it’s urgent.”

“Yeah. Sorry, but I needed to show you something.” Tyler placed a drawing on Sky’s desk. It was photo-realistic sketch of a young man roughly Tyler’s age.

“Um,” Sky responded. “Tyler, this is an excellent drawing, but . . .”

Tyler cut Sky off, “About a half hour ago, while I was on my way home, Crul attacked me.” Tyler began to pace. “Look, this is gonna sound nuts, but he was able to grab me before I could morph. He was choking me . . . then I heard my mom’s voice. She said, “Fire burns away all falsehood,” and suddenly my hands burst into flames. But I didn’t burn him. This golden energy came pouring out of him and in that light . . . I saw that face. I . . . I think that’s who Crul really is. Or, at least was before his Master altered him.” Tyler stopped pacing, “You think I’m completely nuts, don’t you?”

Sky stood, “Actually, no, I don’t. Being a Ranger kind of requires you to accept things that other people would find preposterous. For example, Grumm had this ally, Moira. She was actually a woman named Morganna, who had been turned into a child and preferred herself that way. She could draw monsters and then bring them to life . . . and then she would send them to try and kill us.”

“Okay. Yeah, that’s a bit weird.”

“Read some of the original Rangers’ memoirs if you want some really weird stuff. Some of Rita and Zedd’s monsters would have been comical, if they weren’t so lethal. Come on; let’s see if Morv can use this drawing to get us anywhere.”

Moments later Sky and Tyler were in Lt. Morv’s forensics lab. Morv scanned Tyler’s drawing into SPD’s central computer and began a search.

“Alright. Since he appears to be human, we’ll start with all Terran databases and then move to off-world . . .” Morv was cut off when his terminal started beeping. “We’ve got a hit already.” The Noctranian officer inputted a series of commands and the main screen in his lab displayed a three-dimensional image. “Tyler, is that the face you saw?”

Tyler studied the image. The hairstyle was different but the color, the shape of the face, nose, and the eyes were identical. “Who is he?”

Morv hesitated and then pointed something on his terminal screen out to Sky. Sky studied the screen for a moment and then said, “It’s okay, Morv. This may be the break that Tyler’s team . . . that all of us need.”

“Yes sir.” Morv cleared his throat. “That image is actually an age progression from an unsolved murder/missing person’s case from Reefside in Southern California. Subject is Kingsley, Craig. He would be 16 now. He and his twin sister Melissa were discovered to be missing after their mother, a Debra Smith-Kingsley was found murdered roughly three years ago. Primary suspect was Debra’s ex-husband, Dr. Jackson Kingsley . . . oh my!”

Tyler looked questioningly at Morv, and Sky asked, “What is it?”

“Kingsley was the primary suspect based on history, expertise, the nature of the crime, and the fact that he dropped out of sight just prior. It appears Kingsley has multiple Ph.D.’s: Botany, Genetics, Bio-Chemistry, and Cybernetics.”

Sky and Tyler exchanged a significant glance while Morv continued, “The divorce occurred following his dismissal from a tenured position at the University of Terra for expressing radical theories on the manipulation of plant and animal genomes using nanotechnology and mutagenic compounds . . . as well as ethical violations. Apparently, he had attempted to try out some of his theories. Debra gained full custody of the twins when Kingsley’s experiments became known. The court determined that continued contact with their father would be detrimental to the twins.”

“Okay,” Tyler interjected, “I get that he seemed to be a wacko, but you said something about the nature of the murder?”

“Yes,” responded Morv, “According to the forensic report, Debra Smith-Kingsley died from multiple stab wounds; however, they were unable to determine what kind of weapon made the wounds. They also were stumped by the fact that the wounds were full of traces of plant DNA.”

“So, Dr. Kingsley may be this mysterious Master of Crul and Malika’s. But how?” Tyler asked.

“Kingsley loses everything; his reputation, the University’s resources, and his family, and then resorts to experimenting on himself,” Sky posited. “Then he decides to remake his own kids in his new image.”

“Okay, that’s twisted,” Tyler commented. One thing still bothered him, however . . . how familiar the energy that poured out of Crul was. “Commander, Lieutenant, thanks. I think I need to talk to Grandmother.” As he finished speaking, Tyler reached down to his wrist and activated the teleport, vanishing in a red flash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Anton Mercer our Antagonist is not. He's a wannabe Batman villain . . . in other words completely off his rocker.


	22. Spirit

A red teleport pulse deposited Tyler in Sanctuary where Grandmother, Andrea, Conrad, and Nia were already waiting for him.

“Guys?” he asked, surprised at their presence.

Grandmother answered, “I detected your teleportation use and thought something was amiss, so I summoned the others. I also sensed a huge release of elemental energy less than an hour ago. Yours and another signature.”

“That would be Crul,” Tyler answered.

Andrea and Conrad simultaneously asked, “What?!”

“Tyler’s right,” responded Nia. “It happened before, a few weeks ago when Tyler fought Crul and you two were fighting the tentacle Biorg. When Ty’s charged sword hit Crul, there was this explosion of golden energy.”

“Today’s was bigger,” Tyler added. “He attacked me right after we spilt up this afternoon. He was choking me, and my hands burst into flames. When they did there was this huge release of energy. I saw who Crul was before his Master altered him. I made a sketch and took it to Sky. Lt. Morv ID’ed him. His name is Craig Kingsley. He and his twin sister Melissa disappeared after their mother was murdered. The prime suspect was their father, Dr. Jackson Kingsley . . . a man with Ph.D.’s in Botany, Biochemistry, Genetics, and Cybernetics.”

“That’s twisted,” Conrad said, his expression grim.

Nia sucked in a breath and brought her hands to her mouth, “Oh my god.”

“His own children,” Andrea said quietly

“It’s worse,” added Tyler, “they’re only a few months older than us.”

“I sense there’s something more,” observed Grandmother, “about the confrontation with Crul.”

Tyler looked at the floor, “I . . . um . . . I heard my mother’s voice. She said that fire burns away all falsehood.”

Grandmother moved close to Tyler and put her hands on his shoulders. “Tyler, your mother has never left you. She is with you all the time, watching over you. Your powers are simply enabling you to glimpse past the veil that separates this life from the next. And she is correct; Fire’s nature is to radically transform all it touches. Your evolving powers will help you burn away Crul and free Craig.” She turned to the others, “All of your growing powers will help us defeat this foe.”

Conrad crossed his arms, “Well with Tyler that makes three out of four.” He elbowed Andrea, “So, what’s up with your powers ‘Drea?”

All Conrad felt was wind as Andrea moved at incredible speed, crossed the room, grabbed a handful of water from the waterfall, and threw it in Conrad’s face.

As Conrad sputtered Andrea put a hand on her hip and with a smile said, “That’s what’s up Con.” Turning to the others, she explained, “After we split up I decided to jog home . . . I got there in less than a minute.”

Nia laughed along with Tyler, Andrea, and Grandmother, then became serious. “Wait. Grandmother, that energy Crul has been giving off . . . is it Elemental energy? Is he a Ranger?”

Grandmother steepled her fingers, “Crul, definitely not. Craig, however, may very well be.”

Andrea got serious again as well, “How? We have all the Elements; Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.”

“But that’s not all of them,” Tyler countered. “There are five Primal Elements. The four we have . . . and Spirit.” Tyler seemed to get lost in his own thought, “That’s why the energy felt familiar.”

Conrad was trying to get his hair back in order after his splashing, “Okay. So what do we do about this? I don’t like the idea of that freak running around with Ranger powers.”

“He isn’t,” Grandmother answered Conrad. “The Elemental power and the bio-cybernetic enhancements are incompatible. I know we only have two incidents to go by, but it appears that the Power is attempting to restore Crul to Craig, but the Spirit energy needs one of the other Elements . . . perhaps Fire specifically, to drive the process.”

“Great, then let’s have Ty bathe Crul in Fire energy,” Conrad suggested.

“How?” Andrea asked Conrad sternly.

Tyler looked up, his expression grim, “By, as they used to say in the movies, making him an offer he can’t refuse.”

**********************************************************************

Tyler stood unmorphed in the middle of one of the old quarries outside New Tech City. He yelled out, “Come on Crul! I know you watch me! It’s time to finish this!” A tingle passed through Tyler as he felt, rather than saw, Crul’s teleportation pulse.

“I couldn’t agree more,” came Crul’s voice from behind him.

Tyler turned, “What, no blast while my back was turned? Maybe you’re not a complete loser after all, blue boy.”

“I want you to die knowing full well I am your better, Red Ranger,” Crul smiled coldly. “Now, morph and prepare to die!”

“I usually don’t take orders well, but just for you blue boy, Power of Fire!” Tyler morphed in a flash of flame, already armed with the Inferno Sword.

Crul drew his own sword and battle was joined. The Ranger and the dark warrior slashed and parried, their swords crashing, sparks flying, leaping, twisting, diving, and dodging all over the floor of the quarry. No quarter asked, none given. Neither fighter seemed to gain the advantage . . . until the signal Tyler had been waiting for flashed on the inside of his visor. Suddenly, he leapt up and over Crul, un-summoning his sword as he did so. Coming down much closer behind Crul than the other warrior expected, Tyler succeeded in getting Crul into a full-nelson hold.

“What are you doing?!” Crul demanded.

“This,” Tyler responded, “**Power of Fire!**” Tyler burst into flames, which quickly spread over Crul, who struggled against them. “There’s no escape blue boy, we’ve blocked all the teleport vectors!” Tyler poured on his power as the golden energy began to burst forth from Crul, who began to scream. Tyler bore down and cried out, “**Spirits of Fire, Burn through to the Truth!**”

Both Tyler and Crul screamed as the fire and the golden energy mixed, exploding like a supernova of pure, Elemental power.

When the energy dissipated Tyler was kneeling on the ground, unmorphed, trying to hold himself up. He managed to lift his head and saw a nude, pale skinned, blond haired young man of roughly Conrad’s build. Tyler crawled over to the prone figure. He checked for a pulse and found a strong one, despite Craig appearing to be unconscious. Tyler reached out and gently touched the cheek of the face he had seen only a few hours before in his vision. A glint of light out of the corner of his eye drew Tyler’s attention. Around Craig’s left wrist was a gold bracelet, edged with silver inlay. Etched rays extended out from a black diamond cut in a pentagonal shape. Taking a closer look Tyler could see a sigil floating within the gem, a golden circle enclosing a starburst.

Reaching for his own communicator Tyler spoke into it in a weak voice, “Grandmother, I’ve got him.” A moment later red and black teleport pulses bore Tyler and Craig out of the quarry.

***********************************************************************

Malika had doubled over in pain. Somehow, she knew that it was connected to Crul. The fool had once again run off to face the Red Ranger in single combat. Her vision blurred, her body and mind wracked with pain, she stumbled through the lair’s hallways . . . eventually coming to a door she had never seen before. The door opened and Malika entered slowly, “Mas . . . Master?”

A voice that sounded eerily like her own answered Malika’s inquiry from the shadows, “The Master is otherwise occupied, so he asked us to take care of you.”

Malika looked in the direction of the voice as two figures emerged from the shadows. Her indigo eyes widened in shock and horror. She screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What, you didn't think I was going to leave the team at just four did you?


	23. Balance

The Guardian of the Earth known only as Grandmother and Tyler Forge, GeoForce Red Ranger the Heart of Fire stood over the unconscious figure on one of the beds in the Healing Chamber. The crystal above his head projected the young man’s vitals, all of which were strong, but he had not stirred once in the hour since Tyler teleported to Sanctuary with him, mere moments after his power of Elemental Fire had awakened the Elemental Spirit energy within the dark warrior, Crul, restoring him to his true self, Craig Kingsley.

“Why won’t he wake up?” Tyler asked quietly.

Before Grandmother could answer Conrad Mason, GeoForce Green Ranger possessed of the Strength of Earth, entered. “Hey, I ran home and got sleeping beauty something to wear. ‘Drea said he looked about my size. Gotta say though, I didn’t have much in black.”

“Why did it have to be black?” Tyler asked.

“Well, if the gem in his Morpher is any indication,” Conrad answered, referring to the pentagon shaped black diamond set in the gold bracelet around Craig’s left wrist, “he’s the Black Ranger.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” continued Tyler.

“Ty, seriously, when is the last time you didn’t wear something red?”

Tyler looked down at his red t-shirt, “I don’t know . . . wow, when did I start wearing so much red?”

Grandmother chuckled, “Don’t worry about it Tyler. It seems to be a psychological side effect of becoming a Ranger. Nearly every Ranger begins unconsciously to favor their color in their civilian wardrobe. Conrad, Andrea, and Nia have all been doing the same thing. I doubt you’ve seen your brother in anything other than green either.”

“Well, that’s because Dad bought him a whole new wardrobe in green when Kris got made a Ranger . . . even pants. Kris returned those,” Tyler said, shaking his head. “But none of this answers why Craig won’t wake up.”

Grandmother seemed lost in thought for a moment, the asked, “Tyler, you said that Craig had a twin sister, correct?”

“Yeah, Melissa Kingsley,” Tyler answered.

“Then, I suspect that Craig may not be able to function as a Ranger until she is freed.”

“Why?” Conrad asked.

“The Elements always seek balance. For example, although I did not know when the Powers would manifest, or whom they would choose, I always knew that there would be some form of balance among the four of you. The obvious balance is in your expressed genders, but the four of your personalities balance each other as well.” Grandmother answered.

“So, now we’re out of balance,” Tyler observed, “But why isn’t that effecting the rest of us?”

“You four have the power of the physical/psychic elements. You all create a balance amongst yourselves. The Spirit element may require internal balance. Two warriors drawing on different aspects of the same power.”

“But we don’t know if Malika is Melissa Kingsley. I don’t mean to be morbid, but she could be dead for all we know,” Conrad added.

“No,” Tyler countered. “I think she is alive. The synchronicity of this feels too right. I think that if Melissa had been killed the Spirit powers would have found new recipients and would have joined us sooner. No, it has to be Malika.”

“Synchro-what?” Conrad asked. 

However, before he could get his answer Andrea called from the main chamber, “Everyone, come quick! You gotta see this!”

Grandmother, Tyler, and Conrad quickly joined Andrea and Nia. A large holo-screen showed an image of Malika running through the warehouse district. She was being pursued, and what was pursuing her drew shocked gasps from Tyler and Conrad. Malika’s pursuers were another Malika and a new Crul.

The second Malika seemed identical to the first However, as the image zoomed in it became apparent that her skin had a pale blue tint and there were signs of green veins near the edges of her features. The whites of her eyes also had a pale green tint. The new Crul was a more radical alteration; his armor did not appear to be armor, but part of his skin. Gone was the horned half-helm, instead massive, curved horns that seemed to be made of gnarled wood grew from his temples. His skin was an almost putrid blue green, and his beard and long, wild hair was black, but seemed to have more in common in structure with seaweed than hair. His eyes had an evil yellow-green glow.

“What are they?” Nia asked quietly.

Andrea brought up an interface and a smaller screen, “They’re not Biorgs. Traces of nanotech, but they seem to have been engineered from scratch using plant and human DNA, heavily mutated.”

“Malika and Crul weren’t cutting it, so their freak-job father grew some replacements,” Conrad observed through gritted teeth.

“If that is Melissa Kingsley under Malika, we’ve got to save her,” Tyler announced.

“Um, why?” Andrea asked.

“Because she may have the other half of the Spirit power, which makes her one of us,” Tyler answered.

Andrea nodded her assent.

As the Rangers gathered at the far end of the chamber, Grandmother said, “These new versions of Malika and Crul may be far more powerful than the originals. Be careful my GeoForce.”

“We will Grandmother,” Tyler assured their mentor. “Ready guys?”

In response, the other three Rangers brought up their left wrists with a quick twist, causing their wrist communicators to transform into their GeoMorpher bracelets.

Tyler did the same and said, “Then . . . **It’s Morphin’ Time! Power of Fire!**” Within the diamond shaped ruby, the Heart of Fire sigil erupted into flames, which danced across Tyler’s body, transforming him in the Red GeoForce Ranger!

Andrea metamorphosed into the Yellow GeoForce Ranger after her command of “**Power of Air!**” caused the Force of Air sigil within her oval topaz to whip up a miniature lightning storm round her body!

Conrad called out, “**Power of Earth!**” and from the square emerald set into his morpher; the Strength of Earth sigil transformed his body into stone for a moment. When the stone shattered, Conrad stood revealed as the Green GeoForce Ranger!

Tiny waves washed over Nia’s body from the Flowing of Water sigil within her circular sapphire, awakened by her command of “**Power of Water!**” leaving her garbed in the armor of the Blue GeoForce Ranger!

In flashes of red, yellow, green, and blue the Rangers teleported into battle. In the Healing Chamber, Craig Kingsley stirred.

***********************************************************************

Malika ran, her body and mind wracked with pain, and not just from the attacks of the twisted versions of herself and Crul that were pursuing her. The pain had begun not long after Crul had left to face the Red Ranger. It felt like her body and soul were trying to tear themselves apart. But adding to her anguish was the knowledge that her Master had bio-genetically engineered mutated clones of his loyal lieutenants and had ordered these new versions to destroy their predecessors.

An energy blast struck the ground just behind Malika, the force of the resulting explosion throwing her forward. She landed hard but managed to stay conscious. Malika rolled over to see her doppelganger and Crul’s approaching, swords drawn, twisted smiles on their faces.

“Didn’t I tell you brother;” the clone Malika spoke, “that letting her run instead of just killing her outright would be more fun?”

“I must agree, my sister. The chase has been highly amusing. But the Master has given his orders,” Neo-Crul answered.

“Hmmm, true. Well, “sister,” this is goodbye,” Neo-Malika pointed her sword at Malika. But before she could fire off another energy blast fire balls and lightning bolts exploded all around her and Neo-Crul, driving them both back.

The GeoForce Rangers leapt in, putting themselves between Malika and her pursuers.

“The Rangers?!” Malika spat out in a combination of hatred and shock.

Tyler half-glanced at her through his visor, “Hang back, there’s more going on here than you know.”

Malika didn’t have a chance to respond, as Neo-Malika and Crul attacked.

************************************************************************

Within Sanctuary’s Healing Chamber, Craig Kingsley’s blue eyes fluttered open, “Melissa?”

He rose from the bed and, as if he was operating on automatic pilot, quickly pulled on the clothes he found in the room with him. He then wandered into the main chamber, “Melissa?”

Grandmother turned at the sound of an unfamiliar voice, “Craig?”

However, Craig didn’t seem to hear or see her. His eyes were focused on the holo-screen on which Grandmother was observing the fight between the new versions of Malika and Crul and the Rangers.

************************************************************************

It wasn’t going well. These new versions of Malika and Crul weren’t just a little more powerful than the originals . . . they were A LOT more powerful.

Tyler went flying through a nearby warehouse’s wall as Neo-Crul backhanded him. He picked himself up to see Andrea and Conrad get hit hard by a blast from Crul’s sword. Neo-Malika had Nia by the throat with one hand and with her free hand channeled a blast through her sword at Malika to keep her from getting away.

Neo-Malika looked at Nia, “I’ll finish you later, I have other priorities,” and then tossed the Blue Ranger into a nearby stack of crates. She moved towards her predecessor, the sway in her hips evocative more of a predatory cat than a humanoid female. Neo-Malika reached Malika’s prone form and raised her sword, “As I said before we were interrupted, goodbye sister.”

Neo-Malika began a downward strike, but it was intercepted by a flash of black energy. When that flash cleared Craig Kingsley stood between Malika and Neo-Malika, her sword blade held in a glowing gold grip. “Leave . . . my . . . sister . . . ALONE!” Craig kicked Neo-Malika in the chest, sending her flying back.

Craig turned and knelt by Malika, taking her hands in his, “It’s okay Missy . . . everything’s going to be okay.” With that, Craig’s glow brightened and enveloped Malika, where it was answered by a silver glow. 

The gold energy backed off as the silver grew brighter until, in a blinding flash the form of Malika was replaced with a more petite woman, her skin tone, hair and eyes matching those of Craig. 

Malika’s bustier, pants, and boots hung limply on her. Around her left wrist was a silver bracelet, inscribed with overlapping circles and edged with inlayed gold. In the center was a teardrop shaped white diamond in which floated a sigil comprised of a silver circle bisected by a curved line, creating a crescent shape within the circle.

Melissa looked up at her twin brother, “Craig?”

Craig embraced his sister, “It’s okay now Missy.”

“No it’s not!” Tyler yelled as he slammed into Malika, who was about to slice through them both, with a flying tackle. “We could use some help here!”

Instinct seemed to take over, just as it had with the original four on that fateful day, as Craig and Melissa stood. Moving in perfect synch they brought up their morphers.

Craig called out, “**Animus Spirit Power!**” His gold starburst within a circle sigil flashed within his black, pentagon cut diamond and golden plasma, like the surface of the sun, spread across Craig’s body. With a flash the energy shattered, and Craig stood revealed in his Ranger armor. His armor was black. A gold stripe demarked the inverted pentagon shape on his upper torso. His white gloves and boots were trimmed in gold and featured gold inverted pentagons. In the center of his chest was a white inverted pentagon in which his sigil was rendered in gold. His helmet featured a golden motif of powerful wings with a sharp upward point in the center, over the visor. His belt was white with a gold, circular buckle divided by a single line, much like the Yin-Yang symbol, the two sections featuring his and Melissa’s sigils respectively.

Melissa simultaneously commanded, “**Anima Spirit Power!**” Ribbons of silver energy burst from Melissa’s sigil, out of her white teardrop diamond and wrapped themselves around her. When they shattered away Melissa stood resplendent in her white armor. A silver stripe traced out the point of an inverted teardrop shape on her torso. Silver edged her black gloves and boots, which also featured silver teardrops. In the center of her chest was some of the only black on her armor, the dark color of the inverted teardrop setting off her silver sigil. Her helmet motif of silver seemed to suggest pointed ears at the corners of her visor, with a central horn extending up nearly halfway over the top of her helmet. Her black belt featured a buckle like her brother’s, but in silver.

The twins struck battle poses. Craig said, “GeoForce Black Ranger! The Spirit of the Sun!” Melissa followed with, “GeoForce White Ranger! The Spirit of the Moon!” Together they finished, “The Joined Spirits of Balance!”


	24. Black, White, FIGHT!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Rangers! Bringing the team to the traditional six!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lesson time! The animus referred to by Craig in his morphing call is not the primal Wild Zord, but a term from Jungian psychoanalytic theory, and refers to the masculine aspect of the psyche, while anima refers to the feminine aspect. Now, while in Jung's theory both animus and anima exist in all people to varying degrees Craig and Melissa are getting to embody these roles as part of their balancing of the Spirit powers.

Malika heaved Tyler off her just in time to witness her and Crul’s predecessors morphing into a Black and a White GeoForce Power Rangers. She cursed, but it was drowned out by the former Crul, Craig Kingsley announcing, “GeoForce Black Ranger! The Spirit of the Sun!” Melissa Kingsley, his twin sister and the original Malika, followed with, “GeoForce White Ranger! The Spirit of the Moon!” Together they finished, “The Joined Spirits of Balance!”

“Soon to be the dead Spirits of Balance!” Crul yelled as he charged. The other three Rangers; Conrad, Andrea, and Nia, jumped him but he knocked them away with little effort. From somewhere he produced a handful of bio-cybernetic seedpods, which he threw at the ground and from which several dozen Biodrones manifested and promptly attacked the Rangers.

**********************************************************************

Malika in watching Crul nearly missed the glint of metal coming at her. She barely managed to roll away as the blade struck the ground. She regained her feet and saw that the short blade was attached to a long staff held by the new White Ranger. “Attacking a distracted opponent . . . isn’t that against the Ranger code sister?” Malika asked in a taunting voice.

“Not my fault that pathetic excuse of a father of mine didn’t give you a brain capable of multi-tasking, you glorified Biorg,” responded Melissa as she circled Malika.

Malika’s ingrained and absolute loyalty to her creator and Master forced her react to Melissa’s insult, “You are not worthy of calling the Master father!” She charged.

***********************************************************************

Tyler had managed to flip and land on his feet when Malika threw him. In the moment Crul was dealing with the other Rangers Tyler came up behind Craig, “You okay?”

“Better than I’ve been in years,” was the reply from the new Black Ranger.

“You guys going to be okay dealing with . . .” Tyler’s question became moot as Melissa went after Malika.

“Missy’s got the prom queen from hell, I’ll take horn-head, you help the others,” Craig answered.

Tyler nodded and ran off towards the other Rangers.

Crul now faced Craig, who held a weapon identical to his sister’s, “You think to face me with that stick?” Crul laughed.

Craig went into a ready stance, “The Red Ranger’s Geostaff was enough to stop the original Crul’s sword, my Spirit Lance will be more that a match for yours.”

Crul began to circle, “I am far more than you ever were as Crul! I am perfection! I am the Master’s dreams made manifest! You are a failure and a disappointment!”

“What I am is someone who drew a delusional wacko for a father,” Craig replied.

At this Crul roared and charged. Craig sidestepped the initial thrust and easily blocked the counter with his Lance. Crul seemed surprised that the weapon did in fact hold up to his attack. The new Ranger and the new dark warrior sliced, countered, parried, and thrusted. For a moment Crul broke away and fired off a blast of indigo-black energy from his sword. Craig leapt clear, finding himself in a block position against Crul’s sword again. 

The irony struck him hard . . . as Crul he had been in a similar stalemate with the Red Ranger during their initial confrontation. In that case he had won the break and slashed the Ranger hard, but consequently tasted the power of the Flame Strike . . . which had hurt a hell of a lot more than he had let on. However, at that moment a flash of instinct told Craig he could pull the same trick . . . without having to suffer a sword slash across the chest first. Behind his visor Craig’s eyes met Crul’s and with a smile, he said, “Hey Crul, wanna see a nifty trick? Solar Flare!” The sigil on Craig’s chest, a golden starburst contained within a circle glowed brightly for a split second, just long enough to cause Crul to glance down the instant before a burst of high-energy golden plasma slammed into him.

***********************************************************************

Malika and Melissa’s fight was far more acrobatic, Melissa favoring using her speed and agility to make quick in-and-out strikes. Unfortunately, it seemed that the genetics her father had stolen from her create Malika gave the dark warrior the same tendency. Their fight was dominated by quick strikes and blocks and seemed to be even more of a stalemate that Craig and Crul’s. At least until the same flash of instinct Craig experienced simultaneously struck Melissa. She leapt high, getting above Malika, her Spirit Lance in her left hand. She brought her right to her chest, over her own sigil of a silver circle divided by a crescent. “Malika, catch! Lunar Slice!” The sigil flashed and Melissa pulled her hand away in a throwing motion aimed at Malika below her. A crescent of glowing silver energy flew from her hand and exploded at Malika’s feet.

Malika was thrown into Crul, who was himself only regaining his feet from being pounded by Craig’s power. Melissa joined Craig, and the original GeoForce Rangers, who had finished off the Biodrones quickly joined the twins. The six GeoForce Rangers; Red, Green, Black, White, Yellow, and Blue stood arrayed against Malika and Crul. Both dark warriors glared at their enemies as they breathed heavily. Malika seemed to be bleeding a greenish ichor from a cut under her headpiece. Crul’s entire body was smoking and he seemed several shades darker than before.

Suddenly an indigo-black flash appeared behind Malika and Crul . . . and what stepped from out of that flash made the two new Rangers tense. He was roughly 5’11” and wore something that resembled the kind of coat/smocks that surgeons wore in the late 1800’s, but it was the same putrid purple-blue of the Biodrones. His hair was a mottled blue green and seemed like a mass of wild vines. His skin was a sickening shade of green, with massive amounts of dark green visible veining. His eyes were wild, while simultaneously conveying a frightening intelligence and were yellow green, glowing with an intense inner light.

Malika and Crul bowed. “Master, we . . .” Crul began, but never finished as with a wave of his hand the Master sent them both flying into a nearby wall. They collapsed to the ground and vanished in indigo-black flashes.

The Master, once Dr. Jackson Kingsley, returned his attention to the Rangers, specifically his son and daughter. “Your new powers are impressive, I must admit,” he said in a cold, growling voice. “Crul, Malika, my children, return to my service. Pledge yourselves and your powers to me and all your failures shall be forgiven.”

Craig took a half a step forward, “Our names our Craig and Melissa. And you lost the right to call us your children a long time ago.”

Dr. Kingsley smirked, “Your cow of a mother chose those names. I always hated them.”

Craig screamed, “Don’t you dare talk about her like that!” and charged. He never reached his father as he was seized by several powerful vine-tentacles. The Biorg appeared out of nowhere between Craig and Dr. Kingsley. It was nearly seven feet tall, its body green and scaly and disturbingly humanoid in shape. However, its head seemed to be that of a squid, and it was from its “chin” that the tentacle vines grew.

“I’ve been experimenting with adding a bit of human DNA in the Biorgs,” the cyber-mutant doctor said with a laugh. Turning his attention to the Biorg, “Cephalorax, destroy them,” he commanded, before vanishing.


	25. Beak and Claws, Hooves and Horn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Craig and Melissa aren't going to have to wait anywhere near as long as the others to meet their Zords . . .

Craig Kingsley, the new Black GeoForce Ranger struggled in the grip of the Biorg Cephalorax’s vine-like tentacles. The nearly seven-foot-tall creature was probably the most hideous thing his father, the twisted bio-cybernetic mutant Dr. Jackson Kingsley had ever created. Cephalorax was a combination of advanced cybernetics and mutated plant, human, and animal, specifically squid, DNA. It looked like something out of a Lovecraftian nightmare. And it was crushing the life out of Craig, even through his Ranger armor. As he struggled, Craig wondered if every Ranger had this rough a first day on the job.

“We’ve got to get him loose!” yelled Andrea Eastman, GeoForce Yellow Ranger.

“Power strikes?” suggested the Green Ranger, Conrad Mason.

“We can’t risk it, we might hit Craig,” replied the team’s leader, Red Ranger Tyler Forge.

“Any other ideas?” asked Nia Chen, the Blue Ranger.

“I have one,” spoke up the new White Ranger, Craig’s twin sister Melissa. “Tidal Bow!” With that command, a silver and white recurve bow appeared in her hands, her Power Weapon. She touched the bowstring, and a glowing silver arrow appeared. She drew and yelled, “Craig, head right!”

Craig responded to his sister’s command by tilting his head as far right as it would go, in the same instant Melissa released the arrow. Craig’s movement exposed just enough of Cephalorax’s head, allowing the arrow to impact with a small explosion. It didn’t seem enough to do the Biorg much damage, but caused it enough pain to drop Craig, who jumped away and joined the other Rangers.

Craig looked at his sister, “Thanks sis.”

“No problem,” the White Ranger responded.

“Chat later guys, here he comes,” interjected Tyler. “Power Weapons everyone! Inferno Sword!” In a flash of fire, Tyler created his long sword.

A shaft of water shot from Nia’s hands and solidified, “Tsunami Lance!”

A green flash accompanied Conrad’s manifestation of his weapon, “Quake Hammer!”

Sparks of lightning jumped from Andrea’s hands as she called for the “Tornado Sais!”

Craig seemed to pause for a moment with uncertainty, looking at the other Rangers. Then, it suddenly seemed to hit him, and he yelled, “Nova Sabers!” In flashes of golden light twin black-handled, gold-bladed short swords appeared in his hands.

Cephalorax was on them. The Rangers counter-attacked with their weapons. Nia and Andrea tried a double team with sai and lance, but the Biorg blocked Nia’s attack with the thick scales on the back of his forearm and covered Andrea’s helmet in a burst of thick ink and then it knocked both girls away. Conrad rushed in and smashed Cephalorax in the chest with his hammer. Cephalorax staggered and Tyler leapt in, slashing with his sword, severing several vine-tentacles, but he was unable to get clear fast enough. Cephalorax backhanded him, sending Tyler flying through the cab of a large forklift parked nearby. The Biorg then lashed out at Conrad with vine-tentacles . . . as the ones Tyler had severed grew back. Conrad blocked with the handle of his hammer, and Cephalorax’s tentacles wrapped around it, but then the Biorg channeled huge amounts of energy through the tentacles and into the hammer, and therefore into Conrad who was knocked back by a series of small explosions.

In a gurgling voice, Cephalorax said, “That just leaves the newbies,” and advanced on Craig and Melissa.

Craig jumped in front of his sister, “Missy, get to somewhere you can fire at it safely!”

“No need,” Melissa responded as, with a flick of her wrist her bow’s string retracted. She leapt up and over her brother, coming down with a powerful slash to Cephalorax’s torso. What the other Rangers had assumed was just silver edging on the outside of her bow was a blade, and Melissa now wielded the Tidal Bow as a double-bladed, one-handed sword.

Craig joined his sister, slashing away with his twin short swords, until he realized that he could link the two swords together by their pommels and use them as a short double-bladed lance.

Unfortunately, the twins were not fast enough to do Cephalorax any real damage. The mutated squid DNA used in its creation gave the Biorg hyper-accelerated healing. Every cut closed almost as soon as it was made. Every severed tentacle grew back almost instantaneously. Finally, in massive strikes of tentacle and claw, Cephalorax sent the Black and White Rangers flying.

The Rangers, including a de-inked Andrea, regrouped.

“We’re not getting anywhere! It heals too fast,” announced Craig.

“Well, there’s one way to hurt it a lot all at once. Let’s bring ‘em together!” Tyler commanded.

“Quake Hammer!” Conrad threw his weapon into the air, where it transformed into a barrel, handle, and base.

“Tornado Sais!” Andrea’s twin weapons attached to the hammer face, above the handle/barrel.

“Tsunami Lance!” Nia split her weapon in two. The blade ends attached to the sides of the hammer, creating two side barrels.

Tyler leapt up, “Inferno Sword!” He locked his sword flat side down on top of the assembled weapon, dropping back down to the ground with it in his hands.

Suddenly, Craig announced, “We’re with you! Nova Sabers!” He attached the swords to each other, the tip of one sword’s guard locking into the face to the other’s, it’s handle then angling into a trigger grip.

Melissa added, “Tidal Bow!” connecting her weapon to the linked swords, its handle locking to the horizontal flat of the upper sword.

The other Rangers looked as Melissa took the new weapon and Craig took up a position behind her, hands on her shoulders. “Spirit Crossbow!” the twins announced in unison.

The four original GeoForce Rangers followed up with, “Quadra-Force Cannon!”

As one, the six Rangers yelled out, “Fire!” as Tyler and Melissa pulled the triggers. Two titanic spheres of energy erupted from the weapons; one a mingling of red, green, yellow, and blue; the other a swirl of silver and gold. Both spheres slammed into Cephalorax with a massive explosion, as the cannon and crossbow broke back into their component parts.

************************************************************************

In his hidden layer, Doctor Kingsley watched Cephalorax’s destruction. “Not so fast children. There’s one more upgrade you haven’t seen yet.” He pressed a button in the arm of his throne.

************************************************************************

In response to a remote signal, deep within Cephalorax’s cybernetic skeleton a vial of a green, luminous substance was ruptured, and the serum flooded through the Biorg’s remains. The Rangers turned to the sound of a roar and witnessed Cephalorax reform and expand to a hulking forty-story height.

Tyler didn’t even blink, “GeoZords, Arise!”

The Firedrake, Auroch, Thunderbird, and Leviathan GeoZords, titanic mechanized battle machines appeared, and the Rangers leapt into their respective cockpits.

Tyler started to issue the command to form the Megazord but was interrupted when his Firedrake Zord was caught in the grip of Cephalorax’s vine-like tentacles. The Biorg channeled massive amounts of energy through those tentacles causing systems all over the Zord to spark and short out.

Over the comm-link, Tyler could hear Conrad yell, “Let go of him!” as the Auroch Zord charged. However, the Auroch was never able to connect with Cephalorax, because the Firedrake connected with it first, as the Biorg threw one Zord into the other.

On the ground, Craig and Melissa stood by, watching. “We’ve got to help them!” yelled Melissa.

“I know! Do we have Zords?” responded Craig.

Suddenly, over the communicators built into their helmets, a voice neither of them recognized said, “Yes, you do.” Suddenly, information flowed across the inside of their visors.

Craig looked to the sky and yelled, “Gryphon Spirit Zord! Arise!” It seemed to explode out of the sun, a giant mecha with the gleaming gold head, talons, and wings of an eagle, fronting the powerful body of a black lion.

Melissa looked to the horizon and called, “Unicorn Spirit Zord! Arise!” A flash of silver-white light answered her, and the sound of massive hoof beats. From over the horizon the massive silver and white equine mecha galloped. And from its forehead extended a powerful silver horn.

The twins leapt to their respective cockpits. “Hang on guys,” Craig called over the comm-links, “Spirit Zords to the rescue!” 

The Gryphon dove, banked, and slashed Cephalorax with its powerful talons and then cleared out as the Unicorn charged in, planted its fore hooves, spun, and delivered a thunderous double rear hoof kick to the Biorg, which sent it flying. However, Cephalorax wasn’t down for the count and the twins weren’t done yet. 

The Gryphon flew up and Craig commanded, “Mega Solar Flare!” The Zord opened its beak and a ball of golden plasma, like a miniature sun, built up and launched into Cephalorax. The Biorg staggered again and came away smoking.

Melissa was close on her brother’s heels with “Mega Lunar Slice!” The Unicorn’s horn built up a tremendous charge of silver energy and then it reared up on its back hooves, threw its head forward, and sent a curving blade of energy right into Cephalorax, cutting the Biorg deeply and knocking it down again.

“Now sis, while it’s down,” Craig called over the comm-link, “Spirit Megazord Mode!”

The Unicorn’s head separated as its body began to fold and transform, becoming a pelvis and legs. The Gryphon head folded in as the rest of its body transformed, becoming a winged torso, the lion hind legs becoming arms. The Gryphon locked down on the Unicorn, and then the Unicorn’s head locked down, transforming into a helmeted head for the Megazord.

In their joint cockpit, Craig and Melissa, the Black Ranger and White Ranger, stood side-by-side at their control crystals.

“Spirit Megazord online and battle ready!” Craig announced.

“Mega Spirit Lance!” Melissa commanded. The Megazord brought forth its weapon, a lance composed of the Gryphon’s lion tail, tipped with the Unicorn’s horn.

Cephalorax was now on its feet again, and seeing the new Megazord, charged. Craig and Melissa intercepted the charge with two quick slashes of their lance. Cephalorax staggered back.

“I am getting sick of looking at this thing!” Melissa said.

“Then let’s finish it!” answered Craig.

Together they commanded, “Karmic Strike!” The Megazord opened its wings and leapt into the air, charging the Mega Spirit Lance as it went. At the apex of the leap it held the Lance up and the sun and the moon seemed to lend it their power. The Spirit Megazord dived Lance-first into Cephalorax, destroying the Biorg in a massive release of energy. When the smoke cleared, the Spirit Megazord stood majestically alone.


	26. Grief

After defeating Cephalorax the Rangers returned to Sanctuary, where they began the process of getting to know one another as well as bring Craig and Melissa up to speed on what they had missed while under their father’s control. The next few days were thankfully quiet from a saving-the-world standpoint.

One of the first things that came up was Craig and Melissa’s mother. They had no other family besides their parents, so Debra’s friends had made all the arrangements for her funeral. A significant change over the last century had been the phasing out of the traditions of burial and cremation. Instead, the bodies of the deceased were now broken down into component elements through a complex chemical process that created a type of fertilizer. That fertilizer was used to create the memorial gardens that replaced cemeteries. 

Tyler stood a few feet away from where Craig and Melissa kneeled in front of the tree that had been grown using their mother’s remains. The other Rangers had obligations today that they couldn’t get out of, so it fell to Tyler to accompany the twins. Tyler could sympathize with the twins their loss, but he knew their grief was different. He had lost his mother in a tragic accident, she had died saving lives and he still had his father. Their father murdered their mother and didn’t allow them to grieve, having almost immediately subjected them to the processes that had turned them into the original Malika and Crul.

Melissa stood and joined Tyler. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, but she seemed to be done. Craig, however, was still kneeling before the tree, his shoulders shaking badly as he was wracked with tears.

“Our parents always agreed that of the two of us, I was the thinker, the twin who lived in her head,” Melissa commented softly to Tyler. “However, with Craig they disagreed. Father called him the fighter, but mom said he was prone to fight because he’s the one of us that felt. She was right.” She sighed, “I wish I could do more for him . . . but with this new connection through our shared power . . . I can’t focus near him when he’s like this . . . I feel like I’m getting dragged down into it with him. I love our mother, and miss her, but Craig’s tearing himself apart.”

Tyler didn’t say anything but walked over to Craig and knelt beside him. Craig’s normally pale complexion was flushed a deep red and tears were streaming down his face. This Tyler remembered; this he knew . . . because a week after their mother’s funeral Kris had found Tyler in the same position.

Remembering that day Tyler used the example Kris had given him. He just knelt there, not speaking, not even looking at Craig for several long minutes. He then slowly reached out and placed just the tips of his fingers on Craig’s shoulder. The new Black Ranger flinched slightly, and then relaxed. After another few minutes Tyler placed his whole hand on Craig’s shoulder. After a few minutes more, Tyler slid his hand slowly across Craig’s back. 

Almost instinctually Craig turned into the slowly forming embrace, and then fell into Tyler’s arms. He buried his head in Tyler’s shoulder and his sobs reached a crescendo as Tyler rocked the other boy slightly and stroked his hair. Finally, after several more minutes Craig’s sobbing finally subsided. His head still buried in Tyler’s shoulder he spoke in a quiet, choked voice, “I’m going to destroy him.”

Still holding onto his new teammate, Tyler replied, “We’ll help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda heavy for a short chapter, I know, but the characters refused to let me move on until I gave Craig and Melissa a chance to grieve. Plus, certain characters seemed to have minds of their own in terms of where they wanted to go.


	27. A New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you do with two teenage Power Rangers who need a place to live?

Andrea Eastman, Nia Chen, Conrad Mason, and the twins Craig and Melissa Kingsley were hanging out in the park across from SPD Headquarters. Since freeing the twins from being Crul and Malika the original GeoForce Rangers had been trying to help them do as many “normal teenager” things as possible. However, the reality of being ex-villains turned Power Rangers whose father was a techno-mutant sociopath did not lend itself to much in the way of normality.

On top of that, with their mother dead and no other family Melissa and Craig had been stuck living in Sanctuary for the last two weeks.

“It’s not that we don’t appreciate it,” explained Melissa, the former Malika and current GeoForce White Ranger as she tucked her medium-length blond hair behind her ear, “it’s just that, well, it’s a cave! I know it’s dry, and well lit, and almost disturbingly clean, but it’s still a cave.”

“And Grandmother is nice and all, but kinda creepy too,” added Craig, former Crul and current GeoForce Black Ranger. “She vanishes for hours, and then just seems to appear behind you.”

“I’ve noticed that too,” responded Andrea.

“Regardless, I don’t think I’d want to have to live in Sanctuary,” Nia said sympathetically. “But what are our other options? We already figured out moving in with any of us is out. My parents are barely dealing with me being a Ranger . . . mainly my mother.”

“We don’t have the room,” Andrea added.

“I asked my folks, but they were concerned about how to explain suddenly having two more kids,” Conrad chimed in. “And Ty . . . hey, where is Tyler?”

Everyone else shrugged, but Craig answered, “He said something about working on an idea while we were sparring this morning.”

Conrad just nodded. The girls exchanged a significant three-way glance. Tyler and Craig had been spending a lot of time together for two people who had been trying to kill each other as recently as two weeks ago.

As the girls broke their glance, Andrea looked up and smiled, “Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear.”

The other teens looked in the same direction as Andrea and saw Tyler walking up the short rise to where they were . . . followed by Sky Tate, Commander of SPD Terran Division, who was in civilian clothes. The Rangers all stood. Andrea, Nia, and Conrad greeted Sky, Craig and Melissa hung back. After all, as Malika and Crul they had kidnapped Sky and implanted him with a bio-cybernetic device that had made him attack his friends, try to destroy the Rangers, and nearly killed him.

Sky returned the other Rangers’ greetings, and then looked over that the Kingsley twins. He turned to Tyler, “Tyler, are they . . .?”

Tyler responded with a smile, “Commander Sky Tate, SPD, allow me to introduce Craig Kingsley, Black Ranger, and Melissa Kingsley, White Ranger.”

Sky approached the twins, who both seemed extremely nervous and even paler than usual. Both siblings were thinking the same thing, that Commander Tate was going to either shoot them or arrest them, and that he had good reason to do both. So, they were shocked when Sky asked, “Are you two all right?”

Craig just gaped as Melissa started to stutter out an apology, but Sky cut her off, “It wasn’t your fault. And if anyone can understand that, it’s me.” He put a hand on each of the teens’ shoulders and gave them a reassuring smile. Tyler grinned, nudged Andrea, and pointed.

Before either Kingsley could respond, just as their color was returning, all six Rangers communicators beeped followed immediately by Sky’s patrol unit. Sky exchanged a glance with Tyler and the two moved further away from each other, so that Tyler’s response to his summons would not be overheard while Sky answered his.

The other Rangers gathered around Tyler as he responded, “Tyler here, go ahead Grandmother.”

“Tyler, there is a Biorg in the park,” the GeoForce Rangers’ mentor reported. “Near the band shell.”

“We’re on it.” Tyler closed the channel and began looking for a place to morph as Sky came over.

“They’re attacking civilians. Evacuation is in progress,” Sky reported. He then opened his patrol unit, looked around, and then tapped a few buttons in it. “Security net in this area is offline for the next 45 seconds.”

“Thanks Sky,” Tyler said with a grim smile. He turned to the others, “Ready? **It’s Morphin’ Time! Power of Fire!**”

The other Rangers quickly followed suit with calls of, “**Power of Air!**”

“**Power of Earth!**”

“**Power of Water!**”

“**Animus Spirit Power!**”

“**Anima Spirit Power!**”

***********************************************************************

The woman screamed as the monster reeled her in, dragging her closer by the webs it had ensnared her with from the large, spider leg-like appendages sprouting from its back. Around it several of the faceless, bruised looking creatures seemed to wait as behind the monster in the band shell others appeared to be sorting the people the creature had already captured.

Its voice had a clicking sound as it spoke, any mouth it may have had hidden behind the massive arachnid mandibles, “Scream now human. In a moment you will slumber peacefully . . . until the Master drains you of your vital fluids.”

“Not today!” a voice yelled as the webs suddenly burned away without harming the woman. 

The Biorg had to struggle to regain its balance with the woman’s weight gone so quickly. Once it did it found the GeoForce Rangers standing between it and its intended victim. The Red, Yellow, Black, and White Rangers stood facing the Biorg as the Blue and Green Rangers helped the woman up and directed her where to run.

“Bugs,” Andrea muttered, “For the last two weeks, all bug Biorgs . . .” She was right. The few Biorgs Doctor Kingsley had created in the last two weeks since they faced Cephalorax had all been insect based, and all had the same humanoid form they first saw in that Biorg. This one was a slight variation, being more spider-like. Its humanoid body was covered in variegated purple hair; four spider leg-like appendages grew from its back, and its bulbous head featured two large multi-faceted eyes and six smaller ones as well as large mandibles.

“Bug?!” the Biorg bellowed, apparently overhearing Andrea’s comment, “I am Arachnophyll!!! I am your destruction Rangers!” The instant it finished speaking Arachnophyll lashed out with streams of webbing from its spider legs.

“Scatter!” Tyler yelled and the Rangers leapt out of the line of fire and then went after Arachnophyll.

The Biorg was the fastest and probably the most agile the Rangers had ever faced, but despite its announcement that it was going to destroy the Rangers, it didn’t seem to be trying too hard . . . Andrea quickly spotted why.

“Tyler!” She yelled, “The Biodrones are moving the captured civilians!”

Tyler swore, realizing that Arachnophyll was just trying to keep them occupied while the Biodrones made off with its victims.

The twins simultaneously yelled, “We got it!” and ran towards the band shell. 

Arachnophyll reacted by firing off more webbing at the Black and White Rangers. Tyler threw himself into the path of the webs and blocked them with his staff but got tangled in them. Arachnophyll seemed to decide snaring one Ranger was as good as another and channeled a massive pulse of dark energy through the webs, which slammed into Tyler with violent force, knocking him down.

Craig saw this and turned back, yelling, “Tyler!”

Tyler propped himself up his Geostaff as the others harassed Arachnophyll, “Get the civilians! I’m fine.”

Tyler stood and summoned his Inferno Sword as Melissa grabbed Craig’s arm, dragging him back on task. Tyler joined Conrad, Nia, and Andrea in attacking Arachnophyll. The four original GeoForce Rangers had learned a lot over the last two weeks about going up against Dr. Kingsley’s new model Biorgs.

Meanwhile Melissa and Craig made short work of the Biodrones and freed the cocooned civilians.

After that, Arachnophyll predictably pulled the super growth trick but a Megazord double team put a quick end to the monster Biorg. Nia and Andrea, still morphed, assisted the SPD med-techs in figuring out how to revive Arachnophyll’s victims. An hour after the attack started the Rangers were sitting in the Forge living room.

“So, what do you think he wanted with those people,” Andrea asked the others, carefully avoiding saying Melissa and Craig’s father’s name.

“Well, Arachnophyll was saying something to that first woman we rescued about her fluids,” Tyler observed.

Tyler’s father, Aaron, a seasoned SPD officer had wandered into the room, “The Troobians had a way to use human bio-matter as an energy source. But Lt. Commander Drew shut that down while she was a Ranger.”

Craig ran his fingers though his hair, having a nervous habit like Conrad’s, “I wish we could be more help guys, but a lot of the day-to-day stuff from being Crul and Malika is really fuzzy.”

Nia smiled warmly, her voice soothing in that way she had, “It’s okay Craig. We told you, as far as we’re concerned you guys were just along for that ride.”

Craig relaxed and Melissa smiled, seeming to appreciate the sentiment and then spoke up, “Things are fuzzy, but I don’t think father has the connections to get him access to that kind of technology. Even from what I remember of him from when we were kids, he’s kind of xenophobic. Actually, I vaguely remember us using a lot more of that illegal synthetic plasma.”

“The stuff Genometech was making?” Conrad asked.

Andrea and Melissa nodded in agreement.

“Can’t he just make his own?” Conrad followed up.

Aaron Forge answered, “No. Genometech was illegally manufacturing the original Hemotech formula, outlawed after the Troobians used its metagenic factors to create the Magnificence. There are several key compounds used that are not illegal in themselves but monitored for that very reason. Genometech got away with it because they are a major producer of those compounds and were under-reporting their production of them in order to divert quantities for making the plasma. Ever since the raid on Genometech this has evolved into a major investigation. According to Kris it’s taking up quite a bit of Alpha Squad’s time. They’ve even had to get the undercover division involved.”

Tyler grinned at his father. Of all the parents he, with the Masons a close second, was the most accepting of the teens’ roles as Rangers. These team meetings had become a regular fixture of Forge home life, mainly because Aaron did not want six teenagers invading the Mason home given how much Conrad’s parents were away due to their hectic careers. 

“Now, Tyler thought, “if he was only as agreeable with art school.” That topic was almost as taboo as Rangering was around Nia’s mother. Fortunately for Tyler, Kris was working their father’s guilt button on his behalf.

Suddenly, Craig left the room and headed out into the back yard. The Rangers looked at each other, and Aaron asked, “Was it something I said?”

Melissa sighed, “No, Mr. Forge, it’s something you are.” She started to rise to follow her brother, but Tyler held up a hand to stop her.

“I’ll go. You and Andrea are the brains of this outfit, keep working on the whole fluids thing.” Tyler got up and started to follow Craig but was stopped by Conrad.

“Want me to go with?”

“Nah Con, I got it,” Tyler responded with a tone that suggested having Conrad join him was the last thing he wanted.

Once Tyler was out of the room, Conrad asked, “Why was he so weird about me going along?”

Nia put a hand on Conrad’s knee and said, “Because Con, when it comes to emotional stuff, you’re as dense as your Element.”

“Oh.” Conrad was quiet, and then it hit him, “Hey!”

The girls giggled. Aaron tried to shoot a parental “be nice” glare at Nia but couldn’t repress a smirk.

***********************************************************************

Tyler found Craig in the back yard, staring into the sunset. He walked up beside the other young man, not speaking. After a few moments, Craig sighed.

“Sorry about that Tyler. It’s just, seeing you guys with your folks . . . sometimes . . .” Craig trailed off.

“It’s okay. I had the hardest time being around the others’ moms right after mine died.” Now Tyler looked at Craig, “And you know, you can call me Ty. Everyone else below the age of thirty does.”

“I know. I just, I kinda like your full name. Tyler. It’s a good name,” Craig now looked at Tyler.

Their eyes met, bright green staring into pale blue. Tyler was struck by the shade of Craig’s eyes, the artist in him latching onto the description of the sky on a clear summer day. Craig found himself marveling at Tyler’s eyes, before meeting him Craig hadn’t believed that people could really have eyes that color. The two boys turned slightly towards each other, but were suddenly interrupted by Aaron yelling, “Tyler! You have a visitor!”

The young Rangers broke their glance, both blushing severely. Tyler recovered faster, his color cooling as a grin spread across his face.

“Now for that surprise that got interrupted.” Tyler nodded towards the house, “Come on.”

Tyler led Craig back into the house and found everyone, with the addition of Sky in the living room. Melissa was looking only slightly nervous to be in the Commander’s presence again, despite his assurances that there was no hostility. Craig’s former blush faded, as did the rest of his color.

Tyler didn’t seem to notice and just looked at Sky with a grin, “Shall we?”

“Why don’t you? You are responsible for all this, after all,” Sky’s tone was accusatory, but he was smiling warmly.

“I can’t take all the credit, Syd and Z helped,” Tyler replied.

Aaron just groaned . . . remembering many examples of Syd and Z’s “help” while they were cadets.

Andrea couldn’t take it anymore, “Ty, stop milking the drama and just spill it.”

Tyler held up his hands, “Okay, okay. Well, in our search for housing for Craig and Melissa I turned to several of the B Squad members for help. In the course of conversation Syd mentioned that ever since his mother moved down the coast Sky’s been all alone in that big house of his family’s. And so, after careful consideration . . .”

“And a good guilt trip from the girls,” Sky interjected.

“That too,” Tyler continued with a near manic grin,” Sky has agreed to take you guys in!”

Tyler looked from Craig to Melissa and back expectantly. The other Rangers grinned. Sky seemed to be waiting, and Aaron muttered something about Tyler growing more like his mother every day.

Melissa and Craig shared a long glance and then Melissa appearing to speak for the twins said, “Um, okay. Thank you.”

Sky smiled warmly, “Good. The house has been kind of empty.” Then he switched into über-organized Sky mode, “Now, we’ll need to get you guys set up with some clothes and other necessities, a cover story to get you back into school, and . . .”

“Commander,” Aaron interrupted, “all of that can be dealt with later. Right now, we have six teenage Power Rangers who are probably still starving from the fight earlier, and a reason to celebrate. So, Tyler, go start the grill. Girls,” he said, indicating Nia and Andrea, “Conrad, you know where everything else is.”

Tyler ran out to get the grill going, giving Craig’s arm a squeeze and him a smile as he passed. Andrea and Nia grabbed Conrad and headed for the kitchen to get the plates, utensils, and everything else needed for an impromptu barbecue.

***********************************************************************

Several hours later, after Melissa and Craig had gone home with Sky . . . looking a lot more relaxed with the situation than they had been, and the other Rangers had left for their respective homes, Tyler and his father were finishing up the last of the dishes.

As he was stacking plates in the cupboard, Aaron said to Tyler, “Sorry if I interrupted anything.”

“What Dad?”

“When Commander Tate arrived. I’m sorry if I interrupted anything between you and Craig.”

“What?” There was a hint of panic in Tyler’s voice.

“Oh, come on Tyler, your old man isn’t that oblivious. I saw that there was something going on between the two of you the first time you brought the twins over.”

Tyler swallowed hard.

“I’ll admit, I was a bit worried after you explained his history, but Craig seems like a nice boy . . .”

“Dad.”

“And, of course, the Power chose him so he’s got that going for him . . .”

“Dad!”

“And he’s quite handsome. You and your brother have always seemed to have a thing for blonds . . .”

“Dad!!!!” Tyler retreated from the room . . . the teenage panic induced by even the possibility of discussing a crush with a parent taking over.

Aaron Forge chuckled as his son left the room, but then sobered, fingering the wedding band he still wore, “Our baby’s first real crush, my beloved. Watch over him.” Aaron was quiet, and then a thought struck him as he remembered Kris’ first, “And give me strength . . .”


	28. Love and Hate

Tyler Forge, GeoForce Red Ranger was sparring in the family’s back yard with his older brother Kris, SPD Alpha squad Green Ranger. He used to hate workouts like these, as their father had always pushed them as part of their preparations for the SPD Academy. However ever since becoming a Ranger Tyler had become a lot more dedicated to honing his fighting skills. There was only one drawback to sparring with his brother . . . the fact that he was his brother.

As Kris was circling Tyler he asked, “So, what’s up with you and Craig?”

Tyler turned nearly the same color as his Ranger suit, “Nothing,” he hissed out after a moment.

Kris came in with a series of jabs that Tyler blocked. “Hmmm, you seem rather embarrassed over nothing,” Kris said with an evil-big-brother smirk. Tyler growled deep in his throat and went for a leg sweep, which Kris back-flipped over.

“And Dad said you completely freaked when he asked you about it,” Kris’ smirk became a full-fledged grin. Tyler threw a series of punches that while fast and powerful, were badly aimed as he started to get worked up. Kris danced away.

“I can understand the attraction. Blond hair, blues eyes . . . he’s cute for a former blue-skinned homicidal maniac.”

“That wasn’t his fault!!!” Tyler said a little too forcefully.

“Ha! I knew it! You do like him!” Kris did a little dance of triumph.

Tyler ran up and punched his brother in the shoulder, hard. However, in his frustration his pyrokinetic ability had manifested and the fist he hit Kris with was bathed in flames.

“Ow!” Kris grabbed his shoulder and jumped away, “Hey! I just got the other one fixed! Last thing I need is third degree burns on this one!”

Tyler’s fire died down as his emotions switched from angry to guilty. “Sorry,” he muttered, staring at the ground.

Kris took off his shirt, confirmed there was nothing more than a bruise . . . and as a Ranger he usually had several in various stages of healing at any one time so another wasn’t a big deal, and then looked at Tyler, “It’s okay. And, I shouldn’t have egged you on like that. But what are you so freaked out about? Craig really does seem like a nice guy. I say go for it.”

Tyler sighed, “It’s just, I’ve never felt like this about anyone. I’m not sure what to do. It makes me wish Mom was here.”

The Forge brothers shared a silence, then Tyler broke it by looking at his brother with a mischievous glint in his eyes and said, “And, you know, it’s not like you have room to talk about being attracted to homicidal maniacs.”

“What do you mean?” Kris asked, looking slightly nervous.

“Oh, come on Mr. I’m-secretly-in-love-with-a-certain-Pink-Ranger-whose-idea-of-fun-is-hurling-heavy-objects-at-my-head,” Tyler said with a smirk of his own, referring to his brother’s feelings for Bethany Torres, his squad’s Pink Ranger, who had something of a temper and a tendency to throw things at the boys on her squad when she was annoyed with them.

“You are so dead,” Kris said with a grim expression and then proceeded to chase his younger sibling around the yard.

********************************************************************

The bio-cybernetic mutant who was once Dr. Jackson Kingsley, who now preferred to answer to Master sat on his bone and plant throne and studied the readouts on several screens. His genetically engineered henchmen, Crul and Malika, knelt before him.

“Although I am loathe to admit it, Arachnophyll was doomed to failure,” he spoke, as much to himself as to his warriors. “I fell into an old trap. Allowed a desire to see my plans come to fruition consume me so that I neglected the virtue of patience. Attempting to acquire a large quantity of biomass at once was foolhardy . . . I might as well have sent the Rangers an engraved invitation to interfere. No, I must be patient. Malika, Crul . . .”

Kingsley’s monstrous servants, born of his twisted melding of plants, nano-cybernetics, mutagenic chemicals, and DNA stolen from his own children looked up at the mention of their names. 

“I have a new plan for how we will acquire the biomass I require . . .”


	29. Wind

Andrea Eastman, GeoForce Yellow Ranger groaned as her alarm woke her. “Six AM . . . what fifteen-year-old in their right mind wakes up at six when they don’t have to be at school until eight-thirty?” Andrea muttered to herself. “Especially when they have all their homework done.” Sitting up she answered her own question, “One who needs to work out because she may have to save the world this afternoon.”

Andrea got up, got dressed in sweats and a loose yellow tank top, and headed downstairs. Out in the back yard the mid-Spring morning air still had a bit of a bite, but Andrea didn’t mind. For one thing it helped her wake up. In addition, she had discovered since getting her powers that she didn’t like being inside quite as much as she used to, the air indoors always felt too stagnant to her. Andrea’s father, who was a bit germ-phobic would probably freak out if he knew she had taken to sleeping with the windows open.

She stretched using a technique that Nia had taught her, and then began working through a routine that Lt. Commander Bridge Carson had taught her. Nia had been trying to teach Andrea her form of martial arts, but she found she preferred SPD’s adapted hand-to-hand form. It might just be how the two were presented. Nia’s way of explaining things tended to border on the poetic. Bridge explained things in technical terms, which Andrea found much easier to wrap her mind around.

Andrea finished the first part of her workout and then looked around, making sure she was free from any prying eyes and then launched into the second part. She needed to be sure no one was watching because the next portion of her workout involved shadow sparring using her super speed. Her dad was dealing fairly well with the idea of her being a Power Ranger, but Andrea really didn’t want to know how the neighbors would react.

After finishing her workout Andrea went back inside, got showered and dressed for school and then met her father in the kitchen for breakfast. Andrea poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the kitchen table next to her father, who was scrolling through the morning news service pages on his reader. Matthew Eastman was a tall, thin, slightly balding man and a research psychologist at New Tech University. A rather odd profession for him given that he was slightly socially phobic.

Matthew never took his eyes off the news feed, but said to Andrea, “Your mother called last night. She’ll be in town today and would like to take you to dinner.”

Andrea nearly choked on her cereal. When she finally cleared her throat, she asked her father, “You told her no way in hell, right?”

Matthew put down his reader and looked at his daughter, “Andrea.”

“No way Dad. That woman decides her career was more important than us but when she drops into town, I’m supposed to be happy that she’s decided she actually wants to see me? No way.”

“Andrea, she’s still your mother.”

“An unfortunate biological reality that I am unable to alter. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“You’re going.”

“Dad!”

“You’re going young lady.” Matthew’s voice was stern as was his expression. It was rare for her father to be strict with her, so Andrea knew that further argument was pointless.

Andrea finished her breakfast in silence.

*********************************************************************

Andrea walked through the doors of New Tech Central High School in a full-fledged sulk. Normally, Andrea loved school. She loved how it challenged her and allowed her to shine. But today the usual good mood that accompanied school wasn’t there for her, as all her thoughts were on having to deal with the woman who had given birth to her. Andrea couldn’t bring herself to think of her as her mother. A mother was supposed to be there for you, like Tyler’s mom before she died, or Nia’s, even though she could be a bit overbearing. Even Conrad’s mom, the trauma surgeon, still managed to be there for all the important moments in his life.

So wrapped up in her own thoughts, Andrea didn’t hear Conrad yelling to her. After several attempts of calling her name, the abbreviated form their group used as a nickname, Drea, Conrad resorted to the one he knew was bound to get her attention, and loudly yelled, “Hey Andy!”

Andrea was snapped out of her thoughts and whirled on Conrad, anger filling her eyes, “Conrad you know I hate being called Andy!!!!”

Conrad stopped dead, a look of shock and hurt coming over his face. “I was just trying to get your attention,” he said in a quiet voice, “you didn’t respond to anything else.”

Seeing her friend’s expression, Andrea calmed down, “Sorry Conrad. It’s not you; I just have something on my mind.”

Conrad’s expression immediately changed to one of concern and he moved closer to his friend and teammate, “Do you want to talk about it?”

Andrea sighed. Conrad could be as dense as stone when it came to feelings, but he always seemed to rise above that when his friends needed him. “My mother is in town and my Dad’s making me have dinner with her.”

“Yikes,” was Conrad’s response. He remembered how much her mother’s sudden departure and the subsequent divorce had hurt Andrea. He was quiet for another moment and then said, “Hey, I know, why don’t I tag along?”

Andrea looked up at Conrad, “What?”

“I could come. You know, kinda be a buffer between you and your mom.”

“You’d really do that for me?” Andrea asked.

“Of course.” There was something in Conrad’s voice and eyes when he said that, but Andrea missed it as relief flooded through her.

***********************************************************************

Jessica Craft was rather annoyed with her daughter. It was not often that she was in New Tech City to see her. However, instead of allowing for a nice dinner over which they could get caught up Andrea had invited along her friend Conrad. Jessica remembered the boy; he and Andrea had met in kindergarten and had become inseparable. Now the much larger version of that child, who seemed to have developed a bottomless stomach, was sitting across from her, eating and talking animatedly.

Jessica looked at her daughter, about to attempt to make conversation when she was stopped dead by the look Andrea gave her. It was so cold. Jessica swallowed hard, but then decided that she was not going to accept that kind of look from an adolescent. After all she was the adult here.

“Don’t give me that kind of look young lady. I am your mother and I will not tolerate it.”

Andrea’s expression didn’t change. “You expect me to have any respect for you? You gave that up the day you abandoned me and dad.”

Conrad got quiet as Jessica responded, “I did not abandon you Andrea. Stop being so melodramatic.”

Andrea fixed her mother with a hard stare, “Didn’t abandon us? What do you call disappearing one day, leaving only a note that says you “can’t do this” anymore? What do you call not contacting us for six months? What do you call our first contact with you being the divorce papers?”

Jessica just stared at her daughter. Andrea had only been in junior high the last time she really spent any time with her. She realized she didn’t actually know the young woman in front of her. Andrea, for her part, hadn’t let up yet.

“So, don’t think for a moment you can just drop in and suddenly be “mommy” again.” Andrea stood, looked at Conrad and said, “Come on Con, we’re leaving.” With that, she proceeded to storm out of the restaurant, Conrad close behind her.

Outside, Conrad caught up with Andrea, “Well, um, that was kinda intense.”

“I can’t believe her! What, did she think I wouldn’t be pissed?!” Andrea fumed. Before she could continue more of her rant, her mother came running out of the restaurant.

“Andrea Elizabeth Eastman! You get back here this minute!” Jessica yelled.

Andrea spun around, about to yell at her mother when she was interrupted by the sound of a woman screaming in terror from a nearby alley. She and Conrad exchanged a look, and then ran off in the direction of the screaming.

“Wait! Where are you going!? It’s dangerous!” Jessica yelled after them.

Andrea and Conrad ignored her, running around the side of the building to the alley. They stopped dead at the sight of Malika and a half dozen Biodrones cornering a man and woman. Andrea, still feeling her anger at her mother, yelled out, “Hey clone-girl! Back off!”

Malika spun, “Rangers!? You just can’t keep your noses out of other people’s business, can you?”

“Oh, don’t act like you’re actually a person,” Andrea retorted.

Malika glanced over her shoulder, “Drones, take them.” She then turned back to Conrad and Andrea, “I’ll deal with these fools.”

Malika charged but Andrea and Conrad brought up their morphers and with yells of “Power of Air” and “Power of Earth” morphed into the Yellow and Green GeoForce Rangers. Andrea leapt up and over Malika as Conrad deflected her attack with his Geostaff. Andrea quickly dispatched the Biodrones and got the civilians clear and then summoned her Tornado Sais and joined Conrad in the fight with Malika.

************************************************************************

Jessica had chased after the two teenagers and came around the corner just in time to see Conrad and Andrea transform into two Power Rangers! She froze, not quite comprehending what she just saw. There was no way Andrea could be a Ranger, but Jessica couldn’t get around the fact that where her daughter had been there was now a Yellow Ranger. She watched in shock as a purple haired, leather clad, sword-wielding woman attacked the Green Ranger while Yellow leapt up and over her, rescued a man and a woman at the end of the alley and then joined Green.

Jessica stood there dumbstruck, and barely registered the red and blue flashes on either side of her. Someone shaking her snapped her out of her shock. She turned to look at whoever was holding her arm and saw the visor of the Red Ranger staring back at her.

“Ma’am? Ma’am, you need to get to safety,” The Red Ranger said.

Jessica nodded mutely and wandered back towards the front of the restaurant. She looked back and saw the Red and Blue Rangers join the fight. She stopped when she reached the corner of the building and stayed there, out of sight, but still able to watch the fight. 

Eventually the leather clad woman retreated in a flash of blue-black light. The four Rangers seemed to be talking as Jessica slowly walked over to the four, “Andrea?”

The Rangers looked at her. Red stepped forward and said, “It’s alright now ma’am, the threat’s over.” Seeing the glazed look in her eyes, he continued, “Do we need to get you a med-tech?”

Jessica ignored him and kept moving towards the Yellow Ranger. “Andrea, I know it’s you. And Conrad,” she said, glancing at the Green Ranger.” I saw you change . . . transform . . . whatever you call it.”

In a flash of yellow light, Andrea powered down, “It’s called Morphing.” She looked at the other Rangers, “You guys can go, I’ll handle this.”

Red and Blue looked at each other, then put their hands on their belt buckles and disappeared in colored flashes. Conrad simply powered down but didn’t go anywhere.

Jessica looked at her daughter, “How? What?”

The look Andrea gave her mother seemed devoid of emotion, as if anger was all she had left towards Jessica and now even that was spent. “That’s not important. The fact is, yes, I’m a Power Ranger. Despite your example I learned that helping people is more important than fulfilling my selfish “needs.” That’s why I was chosen. And before you ask, yes, Dad knows. I’d ask you not to tell anyone, but even if you did I doubt anyone would believe you.”

Jessica just stared numbly at Andrea as she looked over her shoulder and said, “Come on Con, I want to go home,” and walked away. In that moment, Jessica realized her desire for a “life” and being in her daughter’s were mutually exclusive, and that her dogged pursuit of one had likely forever cost her the other.

************************************************************************

Andrea and Conrad traveled home on foot and by NTC transit in silence. When they arrived at the Eastman home Andrea turned to Conrad, “Thanks for coming along tonight. I know it was intense, but I don’t know how I’d have gotten through it without you there.”

Conrad looked deeply into Andrea’s eyes and said, “I’ll always be there for you.” He then leaned in and kissed her.

Andrea was shocked. She had known Conrad since they were little and had no idea he felt this way about her. Quickly, however, her shock melted away as she did into the kiss as she realized how right it felt. It was a chaste kiss, but one that hinted at a world of promises.

All too soon the kiss ended as Conrad slowly pulled away with a dopey, very Conrad kind of grin on his face. He whispered, “Always. Goodnight, Andy,” and then turned and walked away towards his house.

Andrea held her fingers to her lips, which still tingled. She whispered, “Andy,” and realized that for the first time it didn’t bother her.


	30. Stone

Dr. Elena Mason, Chief Trauma Surgeon at New Tech Memorial hospital was just sitting down to dinner with her husband Alexander Mason, a Search and Rescue specialist, after a hard day when their youngest child and only son Conrad, the Green GeoForce Ranger, wandered through the kitchen door with a dopey grin on his face and a glazed look in his eyes.

Elena and Alex exchanged a glance and then Elena asked, “How was your evening sweetie?”

In a far away voice, Conrad answered, “Dinner was okay . . . Andrea told off her mom . . . Malika was harassing some people, so we kicked her butt . . . I walked Andrea home . . . and then I kissed her . . . and she kissed me back . . .”

Alex stopped mid-bite. Elena slowly put down her fork, “You kissed Andrea?”

“Uh huh,” Conrad responded, still looking glazed.

“And she kissed you back?”

“Uh huh.”

“Are you okay?” Elena was trying to keep a serious expression as her husband was snickering next to her.

In the same distant voice, Conrad replied, “Yeah, I’m great. I think I’m going to go to bed. Got school tomorrow.” With that he wandered off towards his bedroom.

Alex Mason now broke out into a full laugh. “Wow, who would have thought his first kiss would affect him like that?”

“I expected it,” Elena replied, taking a bite of her food.

“Why?”

“You were the same way after our first kiss.”

“How do you know?” Alex asked, blushing.

“Your sister told me,” Elena answered with a smirk.

************************************************************************

Conrad had been asleep for several hours when his eyes suddenly shot open. “Oh my god! I kissed Andrea!”

His mind started racing. Conrad had been in love with Andrea for slightly less than forever but had never thought she felt the same so had resigned himself to merely being friends. Now he had gone and kissed her.

Conrad sat up in bed, “She seemed to return the kiss. But what do I know? I’ve never kissed a girl before! Oh man, what if she was just too shocked to stop me? What if she hated it? Now she knows how I feel about her! What if she only wants to be friends? I’ve probably ruined our friendship, not to mention the team!”

Conrad went around like this for another fifteen minutes before finally flopping back into bed. He looked over at his clock . . . 3:18 AM. He rolled over and groaned, “It’s gonna be a long night.”

***********************************************************************

Conrad had dark circles under his eyes when he wandered into the kitchen the next morning for breakfast. His mother was the only one in the room. She looked at him over the rim of her coffee mug.

“Rough night?” She asked.

“Yeah,” Conrad responded listlessly.

“You’re afraid of how things are going to be with Andrea in the light of day?”

“Yeah. What if she hates me now?”

“Conrad, do you remember how you and Andrea met?”

“Yeah, in kindergarten,” Conrad answered, not understanding what his mother’s question had to do with anything.

“Yes, but there’s more to the story. Specifically, you poured a bucket of mud on her head,” Elena said with a bit of a smirk.

“I did what?!”

“For some reason, when you were little you had an obsession with being covered in mud . . . although I guess that makes sense now,” Elena mused. “Anyway, Andrea witnessed you do this one recess and asked you why you were covering yourself in mud. You apparently decided to show her rather than explain it and so dumped the bucket of mud on her head.”

“And that lead to us becoming friends?”

“Not precisely,” Elena was now laughing softly at this reminiscence. “She was very upset with you and according to your teacher you kept trying to apologize, even though you didn’t seem to understand why she was upset. Finally, you told her you thought she was pretty, and after that, you were inseparable. Although, Andrea always did seem to distance herself from you whenever there was mud nearby.”

“Okay, but what has that got to do with me kissing her?”

Elena stood and went around the table to her son, “You’ve done dumber things, and she’s still been your friend. One kiss won’t destroy that.” She kissed him on the forehead. “Now, finish your breakfast or you’ll be late for school.”

***********************************************************************

Conrad paced nervously outside the school’s main entrance waiting for Andrea to show up. Then he saw her coming down the walk with Nia. As he looked Andrea seemed to look away and blush, while Nia was giving him this huge grin. Conrad swallowed hard.

The girls stopped in front of him, Nia still grinning at him, but Conrad just ignored her and said, “Um, morning, Andrea.”

Before Andrea could answer, Nia looked at them both and then interjected, “Oooh, there’s Tyler, I have to talk to him before homeroom. I’ll talk to you two later.” She put unusual emphasis on the word two, and patted Conrad’s arm as she walked away.

Once Nia was gone, Conrad started talking again, “Andrea . . . um, I just wanted to say . . . I’m sorry about last night . . . it’s just I . . .”

Andrea looked up at him, “Why are you sorry?”

“I . . . um . . . well . . . given what happened, I just . . . oh man, I don’t know. I just don’t want to ruin our friendship . . . but . . .”

“But you’d like something more?”

“Yeah. But I totally understand if you . . .”

Suddenly Andrea grabbed his hand, which he had been running through his hair repeatedly during their conversation in the nervous habit he had, “Conrad, you keep doing that you’re going to go bald.”

Conrad didn’t reply, he just looked and Andrea and swallowed again.

Andrea’s mouth quirked slightly as she looked at him still holding onto his hand. Finally, she sighed and said, “You’re hopeless, you know that? Well, you get points for making the first move, but I see I’m going to have to take over from here on out.” With that she leaned into him and planted a kiss on his lips.

Conrad was initially shocked, but then returned the kiss enthusiastically . . . at least until Tyler yelled out “Get a room you two!”

Conrad and Andrea broke their kiss and Andrea looked past his shoulder and said, “Philistine.”

“Phila-what?” Conrad asked.

Andrea rolled her eyes, laughed slightly, and walked hand in hand with Conrad into the school.


	31. Waves

Another day, another monster. As soon as the Megazord finished off the latest Biorg the GeoForce Rangers teleported to a secluded corner of New Tech City Park and the GeoZords vanished to wherever they went when not in use. The Rangers all powered down and Nia Chen, the Blue Ranger’s phone immediately started ringing.

Nia pulled out the phone, looked at the display, sighed, and answered the phone, “Hello mom.”

The other Rangers could hear Nia’s mother, Micky Chen literally screaming over the phone, “Get home right now young lady!”

“Fine mother. I’m in the park. I’ll be home in about ten minutes.” Nia sighed again and shut off the phone. Looking at her friends, she said, “I’ll see you guys later. At school, if nothing else. I’m probably grounded again.”

************************************************************************

Nia walked home. She knew what was going on, her mother had heard the attack warnings and then probably tuned into a webcast of Nia and the other GeoForce Rangers in battle . . . and had promptly freaked out.

When Nia had first revealed to her parents that she was a Ranger her mother had been upset but seemed to have resigned herself to the reality. However, once Craig and Melissa joined the team Micky Chen’s objections to her only daughter being a Power Ranger had become vocal again. She had stated on several occasions that with the addition of the twins Nia was no longer a necessary part of the team and should step down. When that didn’t work, she attempted to order Nia to quit. And when that didn’t work, she took to grounding Nia every time she found out Nia had morphed.

Fortunately, Nia’s father Samuel supported her and often acted as a buffer between her and her mother. Unfortunately, Micky’s current tactic of grounding Nia had led to near nightly fights between her parents.

It wasn’t that Nia’s mother was a bad person or didn’t understand the need for Power Rangers. It was that she had always been somewhat over-protective, and she was scared that Nia would get hurt or worse. But even understanding that Nia was getting sick of it.

***********************************************************************

Micky Chen was considering calling her daughter again even though she had spoken to her less than five minutes ago and she claimed she would be home in ten minutes. However, part of Micky was asking if Nia really was on her way home. What if she had run off to play Ranger again? Or, what if someone outright attacked her?

Micky put her head in her hands. She couldn’t keep going on like this. She was constantly terrified that she would turn on the news and hear that the Rangers had been killed, that her daughter was dead. She knew that Nia’s father thought she was being ridiculous. He had always accused her of being too overprotective of Nia . . . but he wasn’t the one who woke up from nightmares of Nia’s death.

Sometimes Micky wondered if her husband was right; after all, despite family tradition and her brother Kai being her Sensei Micky had almost refused to let Nia take martial arts. Moreover, even though cell phones had diminished in popularity since the advent of free public vid-phones, Micky made Nia carry one so she could always reach her. She had tried everything to get Nia to stop risking her life, even grounding her. But now, especially after how cold Nia was to her over the phone Micky was beginning to wonder if her fear was pushing Nia away.

Micky looked up as the kitchen door opened. Nia entered and, with out really looking at her mother said in a cold voice, “Okay, I’m home. How long am I grounded for this time?”

Micky wanted to say that Nia wasn’t grounded and that she was sorry, but what came out of her mouth was, “I haven’t decided yet. But, until I do, I want you to give me that thing.”

Nia looked at her mother, “What thing?”

“That thing, on your wrist. The one that let’s you change.”

“My morpher?” Focusing on the device caused Nia’s communicator to transform into the jewel-set silver bracelet that was her GeoMorpher. Micky flinched visibly at the sight of it. Nia looked away from her mother and down at her wrist.

“Now, Nia,” Micky ordered.

Nia’s head came up and she looked her mother dead in the eyes, her own cold and hard, “No.”

Micky stood. “What did you just say to me, young lady?”

“I said no. And don’t think about trying to take it . . . it can’t be removed without my consent.”

“How dare you speak to me like that! I am your mother!” Micky responded, the volume of her voice going up with every word.

Nia’s voice was quiet, but firm, “You’re acting more like a scared and possessive child.”

Micky aimed a slap at Nia’s face, even though the guilt of the act started to register even as she did it. However, the blow never struck home as Nia caught her mother’s wrist in her left hand with a strength that surprised and frightened Micky. The strange sapphire set in Nia’s bracelet began to glow and then consumed both mother and daughter in a brilliant blue light.

************************************************************************

Micky’s next thought was that she felt like she was floating. She opened her eyes and discovered that she was floating. In fact, she was completely immersed in water. She began to panic, thinking she was drowning, but then she heard Nia’s voice, “Relax, Mom. You’re fine. Just breathe; you’re not really under water.” Micky started to breathe and discovered she could do so just fine. She looked around for Nia and discovered her a few feet to her left, appearing to be floating but also standing.

“Nia? Where . . .?”

“I don’t know. I feel like we’re in an aspect of the Water Element.”

“What?”

“According to Ty, Water and Fire share a connection with emotions. I think my Sigil reacted to the strong emotions we were both feeling. Actually . . . the more I think about it, the more I feel I’m right.”

“I don’t understand . . . I don’t understand anything that’s happening anymore!” Micky collapsed.

Nia walked over to her mother and put her arm around her. “Mom . . . Mom, I know you’re freaked out about all of this; me being a Ranger, having these powers, fighting monsters . . . but, I need you to trust me. I need you to stop doing this to yourself.”

Nia’s touch . . . this place . . . seemed so soothing, so comforting, Micky finally found it possible to speak the truth to her daughter, “I do trust you. But, I’m so afraid something will happen to you. I was barely able to have you, and I don’t want to lose you.” Micky looked into her daughter’s eyes, “But I’m doing more to cause that than the monsters you fight, aren’t I?”

“I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought about moving in with uncle Kai,” Nia responded.

“I don’t like that you’re doing this. Being a Ranger.”

“I know.”

“Then why? Why do you have to do this? Why did it have to be you?” Micky looked at her daughter, pleading in her eyes.

“I don’t know. I’m guessing it’s my destiny,” Nia shrugged.

“Destiny? There’s no such thing.”

“Then why is it almost always a theme in your novels?” Nia countered.

“I . . . um . . .” Micky struggled, and then looked at her daughter with a raised eyebrow, “When did my daughter become so perceptive?”

Nia smiled, “Good genes and upbringing.”

“Hrm, from your father I suppose?”

“Daddy? No. Daddy’s, well . . . um . . .”

“Painfully oblivious to anything not written in ten-foot-high neon?”

“You said it, not me,” Nia responded with a giggle.

Micky sighed, “I miss this. I miss us being able to talk like this. I want that back.”

“Well mom, that’s up to you. At least until this threat is dealt with, I’m not going to stop being a Ranger. So, how you handle that is up to you.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“You just need to trust me. You just need to trust the training Uncle Kai has given me. And, you just need to trust the promise of the Power, that it will always protect me.”

“I do trust you, and your Uncle’s skill as Sensei . . . but that last one. What is this power I’m supposed to trust?”

Nia took both of her mother’s hands in hers, “This, **Power of Water!**”

As Nia invoked her power, it enveloped both her and her mother. And Micky **felt** it, felt the power of the Water Element flowing around and through her, felt its placid calm and its surging force. The effect lasted only a second but when it passed it left Micky slightly dazed and her and Nia standing once again in the family kitchen.

Micky’s eyes finally focused on her daughter, “Was that . . .?”

“That was kind of the low-end version of what I feel like when I’m morphed. That’s the Power that protects me.”

Micky sat down. “Nia . . . I, um . . . I think I understand now.” As the effects wore off Micky seemed to collect herself, “Okay, I still don’t like it and I am not promising I won’t worry, because I will. But I will work on accepting that this is your destiny.”

Nia smiled radiantly, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks, and flung her arms around her mother as weeks’ worth of stress evaporated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's at least one crazy parent more or less resolved. I realized while writing these chapters that there are a lot of “mom issues” with my Rangers (Tyler’s and the twins’ moms are dead, Andrea’s is a b****, and Nia’s was being psycho). I didn’t intend that when I started, it just kind of happen.
> 
> From here the story will be detouring into a short side story called _GeoForce: Future Red_. Chapter 31 picks up with the aftermath of that story.


	32. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter leads out of, and refers to events in _GeoForce: Future Red_. Therefore, if you want to understand what’s going on and where Tyler’s new trick comes from, go and read that story first and then come back to this chapter. Go on, I’ll wait . . .   
Okay, you’re back, good. Because this chapter has the first new clues in a while to Grandmother’s true identity. I now open the floor to wild speculation!

It was a beautiful late spring day in New Tech City. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, there was a warm breeze . . . and Tyler Forge was brooding. So much had happened during the mission with the other Red Rangers. Even reclining in the very comfortable embrace of Craig Kingsley, GeoForce Black Ranger and officially now his boyfriend did not improve Tyler’s mood.

Tyler and Craig had crossed the threshold between flirting and being boyfriends almost immediately after Tyler got back. The shuttle down from the SPD cruiser landed, Tyler got off, proved to his father that he was in one piece, and then headed to Craig and his twin sister Melissa’s new home, the residence of SPD Commander Sky Tate. Craig answered the door and Tyler promptly kissed him . . . for approximately five minutes straight. Craig had been shocked at first and then seemed quite happily to participate. In fact, when Tyler did finally break their first kiss Craig promptly initiated their second. That kiss ended with Sky’s arrival and declaration that he had agreed to house two teenagers, not open a brothel.

That was two days ago. Tyler and Craig had spent nearly every waking hour together since, although they spoke very little. However, for the last several hours Craig had been trying to drop subtle hints that he felt Tyler should let him, and the other Rangers in on what had happened. Finally, deciding subtlety wasn’t getting him anywhere Craig tightened his grip around Tyler, set his chin on the other young man’s shoulder, and said, “So, are you planning to spend all day brooding or are you going to let me know what’s going on in that head of yours?”

Tyler continued in his quiet for a moment, and then sighed and leaned back further. “So much happened on that mission with the other Reds, I’m still trying to process it all. On top of that, there was that weird run-in Andrea and Conrad had with Malika. And according to Sky over twenty people have been reported missing from all over the city in the last week.”

“He’s up to something,” Craig observed, as usual avoiding directly naming his father, the twisted bio-cybernetic mutant and master of the Biorgs Dr. Jackson Kingsley.

Tyler took hold of Craig’s hand, and there was an edge in his voice, as images of an innocent fallen Troobian woman flashed through his mind, “We’ll stop him.”

************************************************************************

Deep within Sanctuary the cloaked form of the GeoForce Rangers’ mysterious mentor known only as Grandmother moved with seeming reverence through a darkened chamber. A single path clear of rubble lead from the entrance, between the blackened semi-circular computer banks to a spot before two pillars. One of the pillars was mostly intact, and even after all the intervening years the strange rings around it still glowed slightly, providing some illumination. Its mate had broken off halfway up, its top half lying a few feet away.

It had been ages ago when Grandmother had first stood in this chamber and seen it in all its glory, and she let those memories of awe, excitement, camaraderie, and family wash over her. She had not been here when it was destroyed; she had heeded another calling, and so chose a successor. But that calling is what eventually led her back here. And though the chambers of Sanctuary were her home now, this chamber is where she came when she needed guidance, for it was here the journey that brought her to the present moment began. And it was here that she felt His presence most strongly.

“Zordon,” she spoke into the emptiness, “Tyler has ascended to the next level. But, will it be enough?”

************************************************************************

Craig and Tyler were walking through downtown New Tech City when their communicators started beeping loudly. Tyler checked his and his expression went stern. He looked up at Craig, “It’s the automated alarm Andrea and Melissa set up.”

Craig’s expression now matched Tyler’s, “Crul and or Malika.”

The two Rangers looked around then ducked into a nearby alley. Tyler looked at Craig, “Ready?” Receiving a nod, he followed up with “It’s Morphin’ Time!” The pair brought up their communicators and, with flicks of the wrist transformed them into their GeoMorpher bracelets. Tyler’s was silver, inscribed with a flame pattern and set with a diamond shaped ruby in which floated the Heart of Fire sigil. Craig’s was gold trimmed with silver inlay and inscribed with rays streaming from a pentagon shaped black diamond in which was suspended the Spirit of the Sun sigil.

Tyler then commanded “**Power of Fire!**” and morphed into the Red GeoForce Ranger.

Craig followed him, commanding “**Animus Spirit Power!**” morphing into the Black GeoForce Ranger.

Tyler pressed his index and middle fingers to the bottom edge of his helmet’s visor and activated his link to Sanctuary’s command systems, which immediately downloaded a location fix on the alert. Crul’s bio-signature was showing up two blocks over. Tyler leapt to the rooftop of the closest building; Craig close behind him. The two Rangers crossed over the rooftops, leapt the intervening street, and crossed the roof of a retail block. They stopped at the edge and spotted Crul and a dozen Biodrones forcing several civilians back up against a New Tech Xeno Charities truck.

Tyler ground his fist into his palm, “He’s hitting one of Jack’s donation pick ups? As if I didn’t dislike him enough.”

Craig replied, “Yeah, kicking his ass now,” and jumped off the roof, manifesting his Spirit Lance as he dropped.

Tyler followed, producing his Geostaff and yelled as he dropped, “Hey horn-head!”

The bio-cybernetic clone Crul turned at the sound of Tyler’s voice, just in time for Craig to slash him across the chest with the short blade on the end of his Lance as he landed. Crul staggered back. Tyler landed, followed his momentum into a crouch, and sprung into a leap; flipping up and over Crul and the Biodrones and landing between them and the civilians.

Tyler glanced at the three men and yelled, “Run!” Fortunately, they did not hesitate to comply. Tyler bashed several Biodrones with his staff that tried to give pursuit.

Craig and Crul faced off, “Where are the people you’ve kidnapped?! What are you doing with them?!”

Crul sneered at his predecessor, “One who has betrayed the Master has no right to that information, Black Ranger! And I have no time for you.” Crul stepped back and suddenly the space between him and Craig filled with black-indigo light. It cleared, revealing a new Biorg. It resembled a humanoid reptile, a Komodo dragon with jaws that looked like a Venus flytrap flower. “Venugon, deal with them,” Crul commanded before teleporting away.

************************************************************************

Grandmother returned to Sanctuary’s main chamber just in time to see one of the holo-screens showing Tyler being thrown through a storefront. She strode over to the control crystals and summoned the other Rangers.

************************************************************************

Tyler and Craig had tried to regroup but were still being pounded by the new Biorg. Both were on the ground trying to move as Venugon approached, laughing. It raised its fists, about to deliver another blow when a pillar of water exploded out of the street beneath its feet. Venugon was thrown into the air where bolts of lightning struck it, knocking it further away from the Red and Black Rangers. As the Biorg fell towards the ground, a crescent of silver energy struck it, causing it to hit with greater force. It started to climb out of the crater its impact had made when a shockwave of green energy slammed into it.

The other four GeoForce Rangers gathered around Craig and Tyler as they stood. However, even as they did so they heard Venugon’s hissing voice, “That was pathetic.”

The Rangers looked and saw the Biorg climbing out of the crater, without a noticeable scratch on it.

“Crap,” Conrad, the Green Ranger responded.

Tyler growled and said, “Let’s bring ‘em together!”

The six Rangers manifested their power weapons and moved to form their combined power cannon, but Venugon was on them in a burst of astounding speed. The Biorg knocked the weapons out of their hands and knocked all the Rangers away from each other. Venugon laughed as the Rangers tried to regain their feet, “Is that the best you humans can do?”

Tyler stood, straightened and glared at the Biorg, “Nope. I still have one trick up my sleeve. GeoForce Red Ranger, the Heart of Fire, **Dragon’s Fire Form!!!!**”

The Heart of Fire sigil on Tyler’s chest burst into flames, and those flames then spread over the rest of his body until he was a pillar of fire. The black portion of his Ranger-suit, which covered his shoulders and tapered to a point at his abdomen pushed out and became an armored chest-plate. His gloves and boots became armored gauntlets and boots. The silver dragon-wing motif on his helmet extended, sweeping up, off and behind his helmet. Finally, the fire focused itself at Tyler’s back, where it became two large red and black dragon wings trimmed in silver.

Venugon took a few steps back, as the other Rangers stood and stared in surprise and awe. Conrad uttered a soft, “Cool.”

Venugon recovered and announced, “A fancier suit won’t save you!” and it attacked. Tyler met every blow with seeming ease. After a few seconds, Venugon backed off, burns covering any spot on its body that had contacted Tyler.

“Time to end this,” Tyler announced and summoned the Inferno Saber, which appeared bigger, more powerful somehow. Tyler held up the sword, his wings opened, and he was again bathed in flames. He lifted slightly off the ground, looked at Venugon and yelled, “Dragon Fire Strike!” Tyler took the Inferno Sword in a two-handed grip and flew at Venugon, slicing through the Biorg with a side-slash. For a moment the other Rangers lost sight of Tyler in the resultant explosion, but then Tyler strode out, his wings folding as he did so.


	33. Grandmother Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I originally published _GeoForce_ there were a lot of good guesses on the identity of Grandmother, with good rationale for the choices in the comments. Many of which I had considered when making the original decisions about the character. However, for those still wanting to try their hand, the clues:  
1\. Grandmother is described as “diminutive.”  
2\. Grandmother is a title.  
3\. She has known previous Rangers  
4\. She fought from the original Command Center (the semi-circle control panels and the two, ringed pillars), but left and chose a replacement before it was destroyed.  
However, guess fast, as this chapter is the revelation.

The rather petite woman appeared to be elderly, but her true age was difficult to determine. While age had obviously dulled what had once been vibrant cocoa colored skin and turned her long, braided hair snow white she still walked with an even gait, her back straight and her eyes bright.

She had been walking a circuitous route for the last several hours through a part of southwest New Tech City. The area was oddly deserted for warm spring evening. However, since over the last several weeks there had been a series of mysterious disappearances from this part of town maybe it being deserted wasn’t too odd. The elderly woman stopped under a light post. She surveyed the area around her and sighed. “Foolish old woman,” she muttered to herself.

“I couldn’t agree more,” spoke a cold voice behind her. The woman spun surprisingly fast to face the speaker . . . Malika. Several Biodrones surrounded the leather-clad servant of the evil, the mad Dr. Jackson Kingsley. As a group they advanced on the old woman. “I normally would ignore someone of your advanced years,” commented Malika almost off-handedly, “but I couldn’t ignore the strength of your life-force.”

The elderly woman backed up to the pole.

************************************************************************

Andrea Eastman, GeoForce Yellow Ranger broke her kiss with her boyfriend Conrad Mason, the Green Ranger, “Okay, come on, focus. Finals are this week and you need at least a B on your math final.”

“I’d much rather get an A on my kissing final,” Conrad replied with a lopsided grin.

Andrea just looked at him, “Okay, A: that was the lamest line I’ve ever heard. And B: if you don’t pass your final not only will you have to go through remedial education, your parents will ground you for the summer and the only time we’ll get to see each other is while fighting the bad guys.”

Just as Andrea finished speaking her communicator began beeping, signaling that the automated sensor system in Sanctuary had detected the energy signature put out by the form of teleportation the aforementioned “bad guys” used. “Speak of the devil,” Conrad observed.

Andrea sighed as they stood and flipped their left wrists, transforming their communicators into their GeoMorpher bracelets. With commands of “Power of Air” and “Power of Earth” they morphed and teleported.

************************************************************************

Malika turned as green and yellow flashes announced Conrad and Andrea’s arrival on the scene. Malika was waiting and the two Rangers had to dive out of the way as an energy burst from Malika’s sword struck the ground upon which they had been standing.

Malika yelled to the Biodrones, “Take her while I deal with these two!” However, she quickly found herself ducking a spinning heel kick from Andrea.

“Deal with us? Not on your best day!” Andrea announced. As she began to fight Malika she yelled at Conrad, “Con, help her; I’ve got clone-girl!”

Conrad began to move to help the old woman when he was stopped dead by her command, “Conrad, stay with Andrea, I’m fine!” Then, as if to prove her point the woman grabbed the grasping arm of a Biodrone, flipped it to the ground, and broke its neck with a heel stomp to the throat. Conrad didn’t bother to question how the woman knew his name, or how someone of such apparently advanced years pulled off a move like that on something as strong as a Biodrone, he just returned to helping his girlfriend.

When Conrad joined her, Andrea was about to question why he wasn’t helping the old woman, but before she could she saw the supposed “victim” use one Biodrone to support herself as she scissor-kicked the head off another. Putting the question aside of how that was possible for a moment, Andrea refocused herself on the fight with Malika, who with Conrad’s help was being beaten back.

************************************************************************

Malika knew she was getting beaten, as much as she hated to admit it. With every encounter the Rangers became more in tune with their elements, and therefore became stronger. Although he would never speak it aloud, Malika also knew that her Master feared all the Rangers achieving the levels of the Red Ranger’s Dragon’s Fire. That is why the Master’s ultimate plan needed to be fulfilled soon. But Malika was intent on fighting out this encounter . . . until red, blue, black, and white teleport pulses signaled the arrival of the rest of the Rangers. Malika decided that this encounter was lost . . . at least for her. She lashed out with her sword, forcing the Green and Yellow Rangers to back off, and then she leapt back calling for the Biorg that was waiting nearby, “Ursumac!”

The Biorg that appeared was at least 9 feet tall with massive claws, a tooth-filled snout, and covered in greenish-brown fur. “Nia?” Tyler, the Red Ranger asked as he came up beside Andrea.

“Some kind of bear and poison sumac,” Nia announced the results of her scan as the creature attacked. 

The Rangers met the attack head on, but it quickly became apparent that this was the Master’s strongest creation yet and fought with a ferocity the Rangers couldn’t match. Powerful claw strikes sent the twins Craig and Melissa flying into a nearby car. Ursumac caught Nia’s shoulder in its teeth, her armor barely preventing them from penetrating, and then it tossed its head back, sending the Blue Ranger flying halfway down the street. Ursumac launched the claws from one hand into Andrea and Conrad, where they exploded on contact, its claws instantly growing back. Tyler leapt on the Biorg but was thrown off. 

The old woman finished the last of the Biodrones just in time to duck as Tyler crashed into the light pole she had been standing under, the impact bending it. Tyler fell to the ground, looked up at her and managed to weakly say, “Run!”

However, the woman appeared to ignore him as she faced Ursumac. “A bear? I think I’m insulted,” she commented before striding towards the Biorg. The Rangers tried to force themselves to their feet, to intervene, but couldn’t move fast enough. The old woman stopped in front of Ursumac and glared at it. It raised a claw preparing to strike, but then froze. Time itself seem to freeze as the tiny woman stared the Biorg down. Suddenly, time moved again and Ursumac finished its strike, but the woman flipped out of the way before it could connect.

The old woman glared again. “So that’s how it’s going to be? Fine.” She formed her hands into fists, extending her index fingers and thumbs. She quickly brought her hands together, one over the other while bringing her feet together and yelled, “Ranger Ninjetti Power! The Bear!” There was a flash of yellow light and the old woman was suddenly garbed in a bright yellow Ninjetti suit, a gold medallion featuring a relief of a roaring bear set over her chest.

Ursumac attacked again but found only empty air as the Ninjetti Ranger was suddenly behind him. “Try behind you,” she offered causing the Biorg to spin around . . . and meet a powerful sidekick to its snout. This went on for several moments as the Rangers recovered, the incredible speed of the Ninjetti as well as her seeming ability to simply disappear from one spot and reappear in another making it impossible for Ursumac to connect.

The Rangers gathered. “What is going on?” Tyler asked. “Who is that?”

“The Yellow Ninjetti Ranger,” Andrea replied. “One of the lost Rangers, the ones that no one knows what happened to them.”

“It’s Grandmother,” Conrad suddenly interjected. The other five looked at him. “She knew mine and Andrea’s names and her voice is exactly like Grandmother’s and she’s about the same height. And all that stuff she’s said about knowing other Rangers? Makes sense if she was one!”

Nia commented, “You’ve actually been paying attention!”

“I’m not that dense!” Conrad defended himself.

Tyler asserted control, “We can all be shocked later. Right now, whoever that is needs help!”

Tyler was correct. Even though Ursumac had been unable to connect, the Ninjetti was unable to do it much damage . . . and she was starting to slow down. A claw strike from the Biorg came within centimeters of connecting when Tyler yelled, “Grandmother, get clear!” Hearing the yell from her young charge, Grandmother leapt clear as simultaneous Power Strikes from all six of her Rangers hit Ursumac.

Ursumac roared and turned on the Rangers. “Oh, not this time ugly,” Tyler announced. “GeoForce Red Ranger, the Heart of Fire, **Dragon’s Fire Form!**” Flames danced across Tyler’s body and formed the Dragon’s Fire armor, the transformation completing just as Ursumac slammed into him. Tyler expected the Biorg to back off as the heat he was giving off burned the creature, but it seemed unaffected. “Looks like Dr. Wacko made some improvements,” Tyler commented as he traded blows with the Biorg. He finally managed to knock the creature away.

Ursumac staggered back, and its expression suddenly changed. Why was immediately apparent, as its veins stood out suddenly and glowed with a greenish light. The Biorg began to expand to titanic size. Tyler quickly responded by summoning the Firedrake Zord, which transformed into the Fire Dragon Zord when Tyler joined it, and together they made quick work of Ursumac. So focused on the fight were the other Rangers that they didn’t notice Grandmother sag against a nearby car, her Ninjetti suit fading away. Nor did they notice her collapse to the ground unconscious.


	34. Legacy

“Her name is Aisha Campbell,” announced Sky, looking down on the unconscious form of the woman known currently as Grandmother. 

After defeating the Biorg, Ursumac the GeoForce Rangers had found their mentor unconscious. They immediately teleported her back to Sanctuary and placed her on one of the beds in the Healing Chamber. Then, not knowing what else to do they called Sky.

“How do you know that, Sky?” Andrea, the Yellow Ranger, asked.

“I’ve suspected ever since I met Grandmother. Aisha is the only truly unaccounted for former female Ranger.”

“Truly unaccounted for?” Nia, the Blue Ranger asked.

“Yes. Even if they never came forward publicly, SPD has records of everyone who has ever served as a Ranger, including you guys now.”

Tyler, the Red Ranger nearly choked, “What?!”

Sky smiled, “It’s called the Archive. Zordon started it as a record of everyone to bear the Ranger mantel. Billy Cranston continued it after the War. When SPD was founded, Cranston passed the responsibility on to us. It’s become a big part of the Ranger Legacy, since, with a few notable exceptions only Rangers are allowed to view the complete Archive. I’ve heard that the Aquitarians actually have a ritual around a new Doron Sena viewing it for the first time.”

“Okay,” Craig, the Black Ranger spoke up, looking at his guardian, “if it’s part of the Legacy, why haven’t we seen it yet?”

Sky looked at Aisha, “She didn’t seem to want you guys to know who she really was, and it was obvious the girls were cataloging clues . . .”

“So, seeing the Archive might have given her away,” Melissa, the White Ranger and Sky’s other young ward finished for him.

“Exactly, but I suppose there’s no harm now. I can upload it to my Patrol Unit, but it will be hard for all of you to watch on it. Andrea, can you patch the feed through the monitors in the main chamber?”

“No problem,” Andrea responded. Sky punched a few commands into the device and then handed it to Andrea. She traced the blue stripe running across the face and looked at the former Ranger questioningly.

“Jack thought, just to be on the safe side,” Sky commented, alluding to his capture by Dr. Kingsley and transformation into the Dark Shadow Ranger.

************************************************************************

The young Rangers watched the Archive in an awed silence. The Ranger Museum had nothing on the Archive. The museum presented public and official information in a condensed form, the Archive immersed the viewer in Ranger history from the inside, as it contained footage from the monitoring systems of the original Command Center and the Power Chamber, records made by the original DECA system, and archival footage from the Lightspeed Aquabase and the SPD Command Center.

Tyler, who had been raised on Ranger stories by his SPD officer father found himself finally appreciating the Legacy. He thought about the plaque hidden in his bedroom, given to him by the other Red Rangers. He felt Sky’s hand on his shoulder, sharing the camaraderie of those who had worn Red, even though Sky would always be more strongly associated with Blue.

When the Archive finished, the GeoForce Rangers exchanged glances but seemed still too overwhelmed to speak, until Craig said, “Geez, is having a screwed-up life automatically a part of being the late start Rangers?”

“What do you mean?” asked Sky

Craig started counting off names on his fingers, “Tommy Oliver, turned into the evil Ranger, gets freed, becoming the Green Ranger, who then loses his powers twice. He becomes the White Ranger, only to lose those powers too. The Gold Ranger powers nearly killed Jason Scott. Zhane was nearly killed and spent almost two years in cryogenic stasis and once he woke up, he had to let himself get struck by lightning to get his powers working right again. And then he falls in love with the Princess of Evil. Ryan Mitchell was kidnapped and raised by demons, and then tried to kill his own family before getting his head on straight. The Phantom Ranger, and for a while High Commander Cruger, were the last survivors of their entire species.” Craig was obviously beginning to get worked up and then suddenly he dropped his head, and his voice became nearly a whisper, “And then there’s me and Missy.”

Tyler immediately wrapped his boyfriend in an embrace and Melissa put a comforting hand on her twin’s arm.

The main chamber was silent for a moment, but then an unexpected voice spoke, “The path of the unique Rangers is a hard one, but the Power never chooses any not capable of handling it.”

Everyone turned to see Aisha, once again in her Grandmother robes, standing in the doorway to the Healing Chamber. But for once, her hood was down.

Nia crossed to her, “Are you alright?”

Aisha smiled, “Yes, thank you. But you now see why Rangering is a young person’s game.”

Conrad commented, “You didn’t do too badly for someone . . . how old are you anyway?”

Andrea smacked her boyfriend on the back of the head. He gave her a “what did I do look” as he rubbed his head.

Aisha laughed lightly, “Far too old to expect to get into a fight like that without suffering from exhaustion, even with the Earth sustaining me.” Her expression then became serious, but compassionate and she crossed to Craig and said, “Craig, listen to me. I know that the lives of the unique Rangers seem hard, and at times, they are. But it has given those who filled that role just as much as they gave to it.”

Craig looked up at her, and Aisha continued, “Tommy was a lonely, directionless young man before Rita took him. And yes, at first, he served as the Green Ranger as a sort of penance. However, over time being a Ranger gave his life direction and the love of his life . . . although that was also often a rocky road. Jason did nearly die from the Gold Ranger powers, and his claiming them in the first place did create a rift for a time between he and Billy, one of his dearest friends. But, if he had never returned to the team he would never have gotten to know the love of his life . . . it’s something you and he may very well have in common.” Aisha stopped for a moment, her eyes taking on a faraway look.

“Grandmother?” Melissa asked.

“Sorry, just getting caught up in memories that aren’t in the Archive. They were so happy, but that red, blue, and gold color scheme at the wedding was a bit much. But then, that’s Ranger weddings for you. The color obsession never quite dies.”

Tyler and Craig looked at each other and blushed slightly.

Grandmother continued, “As for the others; Zhane and Karone had a wonderful life together, and their descendents have formed a Ranger legacy of their own. As did Cassie and Olen, the Phantom Ranger. Ryan Mitchell found his family again, as did Anubis Cruger.”

Craig looked at his team’s mentor and then around at the other faces in the room; his twin sister, his new friends, his boyfriend, and his new father figure. “I guess we have too.”

A happy silence reigned for a moment, only to be broken by Conrad, “This is probably going to get me smacked again, but how exactly did you go from being Aisha Campbell to Grandmother?”

No smack came, as everyone looked at Aisha.


	35. Grandmother

“How exactly did you go from being Aisha Campbell to Grandmother?” Conrad asked.

Six teenage Power Rangers and the Commander of SPD on Earth, himself a former Ranger looked expectantly at the GeoForce Rangers’ mentor, the woman now known as Grandmother, but who herself had once been the Yellow Power Ranger Aisha Campbell.

A small smile played at Aisha’s lips. “I suppose I’ve kept that secret long enough,” she replied. “Very well.”

Aisha took a breath seemed to collect her thoughts, “As you know I, along with two of my dearest friends, Rocky DeSantos and Adam Park, replaced three of the original Rangers, they being Jason Scott, Zack Taylor, and Trini Kwan, from whom I took the mantel of the Yellow Sabertooth Tiger. We were tapped by Zordon in part because we already knew the Ranger’s identities, having discovered them when Lord Zedd attempted to convert us to his evil soldiers, despite Rita’s earlier failure with Tommy.”

_Teleporting that first time was a bit disconcerting. It was as if the world shifted sideways, then righted itself completely different from how it started. That first look at the Command Center would forever after be burned into Aisha’s memory . . . the two semi-circles of computer consoles, the viewing globe, the high domed walls of the main chamber covered in alien sigils, and then Alpha and Zordon._

_As was usually the way with their little group, Aisha took the lead since Rocky was bouncing with barely contained excitement and Adam was in his quiet-yet-observant mode. When the original Rangers returned with the Sword of Light, they were ready to receive their powers. Zordon had explained that, due to the ongoing threat of Rita and Zedd he had chosen to duplicate the Red, Black, and Yellow powers, not wanting to leave Jason, Zack, and Trini defenseless. It wouldn’t be safe for the departing Rangers to use the duplicated powers very often, as the Power Coins held by Aisha, Rocky, and Adam had the primary link to the Grid, but they could keep themselves safe if attacked._

“As you know from your Ranger history and the Archive, Zedd and Rita managed to disrupt the morphing grid once, leading us to seek out Dulcea and gain the Ninjetti powers.”

_The trek through the Desert of Despair was more annoyance inducing than despair inducing in Aisha’s opinion. It was hot, dry, dusty, and even managed to dampen Rocky’s boundless enthusiasm. Then again, the loss of their powers was making them all feel weird, Billy being the first to observe they were all likely in a mild state of shock from the sudden power loss. However, knowing that Rita and Zedd were likely taking advantage of their powerlessness spurred them onward._

_When they finally arrived at the Temple of the Ninjetti, Aisha and Kimberly had to take the lead . . . since upon seeing Dulcea the boys became absolutely useless except as breathing drool factories. You’d think they’d never seen a woman in a bikini before. Okay, they probably had never seen a six-foot plus redhead in a green leather/chain mail bikini who could hand a dozen Tenga their butts without breaking a sweat, but that was no excuse to be such . . . guys._

_Then there was the ritual. At first, Aisha didn’t feel anything except frustration; a desire to be where she could do some good, protect people like Zordon had told her to. For some reason, she latched onto that feeling of protectiveness . . . and that’s when she found the Bear. Her Bear was definitely a Mama, and her strength was meant to protect and defend._

“Not to interrupt,” Tyler interrupted, “But I thought you lost those powers defeating Master Vile.”

“Our power to morph completely was lost,” Aisha replied, “as the Power Coins Dulcea created for us were destroyed. However, our Ninjetti forms, our channeling of our Animal Spirits became a part of us and never left us. Unfortunately, especially for Kimberly as she could have used it during that whole Maligore debacle, we didn’t realize this until several years later.”

“Regardless,” Aisha continued, getting back on track, “part of our plans to defeat Master Vile required re-assembling the Zeo Crystal, so five of us; Tommy, Kat, Rocky, Adam, and I went on our quests for the individual crystals. My quest sent me to Africa, where I met Tanya. I also discovered that animals in the area were affected with a strange illness. I felt called to remain in Africa to address that problem and sent Tanya as my replacement. I spent many happy years there and became part of the local tribe. Things changed however, the day Zordon died.”

Aisha paused and closed her eyes, before sighing deeply and continuing, “The part of Africa I was in had seen little of the War, but on that day several squads of Quantrons attacked my village. I, along with the tribe’s warriors fought off the invaders. I knew what had happened the instant the energy wave, what they now call the Zordon Wave, passed over the Earth.

_Anda, the tribe’s medicine woman, came to Aisha that morning, “A dark cloud approaches my child.”_

_Aisha understood. She had a sense of foreboding the whole morning . . . the same she had any day Zedd tried something particularly nasty. It was only a few minutes later that the sentries called out their warning. Aisha ran to the edge of the village, stopping alongside Tu’Challa, the chieftain. He was looking off in the distance at the strangely moving black-and-silver and white-and-silver forms approaching their village._

_“What are they?” he asked in the tribal tongue._

_“Enemies,” replied Aisha. “My friends warned me about them. Get everyone to safety.” With that, Aisha did something she had not done in years. She reached down inside of herself and found the Bear waiting, “Ranger Ninjetti Power! The Bear!” In a flash of yellow, her Ninjetti uniform wrapped itself around her. Her senses heightened as the Bear spirit within her awoke._

_Aisha moved to charge the Quantrons, but strong hand grabbed her arm. She turned and looked into Tu’Challa’s eyes. “You are part of this tribe now. Your fight is our fight,” he said to her. Then he called out, “Warriors, attack!”_

_The battle was going poorly. The tribe’s warriors had never fought anything like Quantrons before. Much of Aisha’s energy went into trying to keep casualties to a minimum, but even then, they lost several young men. The fight raged for what seemed like an eternity, and even Aisha had begun to tire when it hit . . . a wave of energy that turned the encroaching Qunatrons into dust. The warriors began to cheer in triumph, but Aisha collapsed in tears. She knew in her heart what had happened . . . Zordon had sacrificed himself to save the galaxy._

“I then returned to the United States for a time, but it was not long after that I began having the dreams. They were of a wise woman, sitting deep within a cavern, surrounded by pictoglyphs, calling to me. After several months of having the dreams, I returned to Africa and went to Anda. She informed me that I was being called by the Earth.”

_“The Mother calls you, child,” the Wise woman said._

_“Why?” Aisha asked._

_Anda cast the bones she used for divination and studied the patterns they formed for several long moments, “Your sacrificed Elder told Her of you.”_

_“Zordon?”_

_Anda smiled. She gave Aisha a bag of supplies. “Follow the sun for three days. At the river, walk upstream for two days and you will find the cave of your visions. There you will find she who is the voice of the Mother.”_

_“Why?” Aisha asked._

_“One day child, those will come who will need you to follow in Zordon’s path.”_

“I followed Anda’s instructions and found the cave and met the previous Guardian. There are no words to describe how ancient she was . . . she remembered Zordon’s arrival on Earth. Time seemed to have no meaning there, and I really have no concept of how long I stayed with her. However, over the decades she passed her knowledge onto me, and eventually her mantel. Not long after that I sensed the Elements stirring and returned here to set up Sanctuary, in the caverns beneath the mesa on which Zordon and Alpha made their home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of combined the movie and TV versions of earning the Ninja/Ninjetti powers. I just like the Ninjetti term and Dulcea more.


	36. Here Be Dragons Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought it was unfair back in the day when only the Red Ranger got a power-up. While they fixed that in the show, in the PR:GF universe it's only been Reds with Battlizers . . . until now.

“Ready Conrad?” Tyler Forge, GeoForce Red Ranger asked his friend and teammate.

“Yeah, I think so,” responded Conrad Mason, GeoForce Green Ranger from his place in the center of a ring of boxy electronic devices that had been set up in the back yard of the Forge home. “You sure this is going to work?”

“We know the portable combat simulator works Conrad,” Dramlin Zell, current Red-1 Ranger for SPD Terran Division’s Alpha Squad replied for Tyler.

“At least when it’s hooked up to the SPD power network,” finished Kris Forge, Alpha Green-3. “Hence this experiment. Boom designed this system to be used by undercover teams when they're doing prolonged surveillance. So, we need to see if it will work when drawing power from a household system. Initial tests on apartment and office buildings have already been done.”

“How did those go?” asked Craig Kingsley, GeoForce Black Ranger. The two SPD Rangers exchanged a glance.

“There are still a few bugs,” Dramlin muttered.

The three GeoForce Rangers exchanged a glance of their own, and then Tyler’s eyes widened as a realization dawned, “That power outage in that office block downtown last week! That was you guys, wasn’t it!?”

“No!” Dramlin defended. “That was Boom and the Beta Squad,” he quietly admitted.

Conrad’s hand went though his hair in his nervous habit, “This isn’t gonna fry the house’s power grid, is it?”

“It shouldn’t,” answered Kris, “but even if it does, Dad shouldn’t get too mad. After all, we’re testing SPD tech here. Boom promised he’d fix anything that got fried and until he does, Dad and Ty can stay in the Academy’s guest quarters.”

“Oh great,” Tyler rolled his eyes. “If anything goes wrong, I am so blaming this all on you,” Tyler informed his older brother. The Forge siblings exchanged a glare.

“Okay, getting on with this,” Dramlin announced, “beginning program.” The Karovian touched a few buttons on the control pad he was holding, and the machinery started to hum. Projection grids on the faces of the holo-emitters began to glow and suddenly six stooped figures appeared, surrounding Conrad. They were generally humanoid in outline, but were covered in dark green, gnarled reptilian scales. However, they didn’t fit the description of any known bipedal reptilian species. For one thing, instead of fingers their “hands” tapered into single curving blades.

Conrad looked around at the creatures, “What are these things?”

“Something Boom came up with after watching some old twentieth century horror movie,” Dramlin answered. “He calls them Tyranodrones. They’re actually pretty tough.”

“Great,” was all Conrad had time to say as the first Tyranodrone attacked. He ducked under a slash to his head and knocked the impressively solid holographic opponent back with a kick to the chest. Conrad sidestepped another attempted slash, grabbed the drone’s wrist, and flipped it onto its back while nailing the third drone in the head with a side kick. The young ranger flipped away from the attack of two more of the Tyranodrones, only to be knocked to the ground upon landing by a leg sweep from the final drone. Conrad got into a kneeling position just as the two Tyranodrones he flipped away from made downward strikes at his head. He threw up his arms in a block and invoked his elemental power, the substance of his forearms shifting from soft tissue to an incredibly hard, marble-like material. The Tyranodrone’s blade-hands met Conrad’s transformed arms and they froze. Conrad looked up past his arms in surprise and saw that the blades were flashing in and out of existence.

“Um, guys?”

Kris swore. “The program’s malfunctioning. The impact with your arms should have shattered the blades, but the software doesn’t know how to handle it.”

Everyone jumped when one of the emitters started sparking. Dramlin yelled something that was a vehement Karovian swear word, “The software glitch is causing a power feedback.” Several more emitters started sparking, “Unplug the system!”

Tyler reached to unplug the equipment from the house’s external outlet but was driven back by sparks at the connection. Suddenly, in an even larger shower of sparks the plug pulled out of the outlet. Tyler looked at Craig, and the concentration etched on the Black Ranger’s face indicated that he had used his recently discovered telekinetic ability to rescue his boyfriend. Craig dropped the power cord as Tyler looked over at his brother, “How bad?”

Kris sighed and answered without looking up, “About three quarters fried. I’m almost afraid to ask, but how’s the house?”

Tyler entered the family home and tried a few light switches and then finally checked the displays on the house’s small fusion core. All its indicators were showing that the device had gone into emergency lockdown. Even if the house’s wiring was still okay it would be at least a day before the core was back up and running. Tyler came back outside, looked at his older brother and said, “Dad is going to kill you.”

Kris groaned, “Can today get any worse?” In answer to his question, because the Universe never let’s that question go unanswered when uttered by a Ranger, the three GeoForce Rangers’ communicators beeped. Everyone glared at Kris.

“Thanks, big brother,” Tyler said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “You just had to go and break Ranger Rule number 14, didn’t you?”

Kris blushed his brother’s Ranger color, “Sorry.”

The three male GeoForce Rangers stood in a group. Tyler looked at Conrad and Craig, and getting nods indicating they were ready said, “**It’s Morphin’ Time! Power of Fire!**” Flames leapt from Tyler’s GeoMorpher and wrapped around his body, leaving his Red Geo Ranger armor in their wake.

Conrad yelled, “**Power of Earth!**” Starting at his morpher and moving across his form, his body turned to green stone. When the transformation was completed, the stone shattered away revealing his Green Geo Ranger armor.

Craig finished with, “**Animus Spirit Power!**” Golden plasma spread over Craig. When it shattered away, he was encased in his Black Geo Ranger armor. Their morphs complete the three teleported out in color-coded flashes of light.

******************************************************************************

The male GeoForce Rangers arrived on scene, the plaza in the center of New Tech City’s governmental hub just in time for Craig to catch his twin sister Melissa, the White Ranger as she flew through the air. “You okay Sis?” he asked.

“It’s about time you guys showed up!” was Melissa’s rather indignant response. Before any of the boys could respond the source of the White Ranger’s unscheduled flight came into view; a ten-foot-tall humanoid elephant with green skin, massive tusks, and what looked like ferns for ears. Andrea and Nia, the Yellow and Blue Rangers respectively were raining fist, foot, weapon, and power strike blows down on it without much effect.

“That’s Pachigerm,” Melissa answered the unvoiced question. “You guys want to give it a try?”

Tyler nodded, “Right. Craig, let’s see if it can take the heat.”

“Okay,” Craig responded, stretched his hands towards the Biorg, and then yelled, “Solar Flare!” invoking his power strike. Simultaneously, Tyler mirrored Craig’s movements and invoked his own power strike with “Flame Strike!” 

A stream of golden solar plasma and a burning fireball leapt from the two Rangers’ hands and slammed into Pachigerm . . . who backed up all of a half step. “That the best you’ve got Rangers?” the Biorg taunted.

“Any other ideas, fearless leader,” Conrad asked. However, before Tyler could answer Pachigerm was upon them and all the Rangers had to focus on just staying alive. This latest Biorg was unbelievably strong, seemed completely impervious, and was disturbingly fast for its size.

After being knocked away for the seventh or eighth time, the Rangers had lost count, they tired to regroup and combine their weapons, but never got that chance as Pachigerm yelled, “Not so fast Rangers! Spore Trumpet!” The Biorg inhaled and then blew a cloud of dust on the Rangers, coating them all in a layer of powder.

“Ugh, what is this stuff?” Conrad complained as he tried, ineffectively, to wipe himself off.

“They’re spores. Ferns release spores to reproduce rather than seeds,” Andrea explained.

“Reproduce . . .?”

“Oh, it’s nothing like that Rangers. Here, allow me to show you,” Pachigerm then snapped its massive fingers and the Rangers were wracked with explosions, as each of the thousands of spores covering their armors simultaneously detonated. The Rangers managed to stay on their feet, but not for long as Pachigerm charged through their ranks. The Rangers went flying, crashing first into the sides of the buildings and other architectural features of the plaza, then into the ground where their morphs, having expended all their energy protecting the Rangers from serious injury, failed. Leaving the Rangers barely conscious in their vulnerable civilian forms.

Pachigerm looked around at its handiwork and then moved towards the nearest prone Ranger form, that of Andrea. “You’re closest, you’re first,” the massive Biorg said as it reared back with its fist, ready to dispatch the fallen Ranger. However, before Pachigerm could strike it was interrupted by a shout of, “Don’t you dare touch her!!”

Pachigerm turned to find Conrad on his feet. “Impressive Ranger, you’re actually standing. Tell you what; I’ll finish you off, then the girl.”

Conrad seemed to ignore Pachigerm’s actual statement and said, “No one or no thing will ever hurt Andy as long as I’m around . . . Power of Earth!” In a flash of green Conrad morphed.

Pachigerm laughed, it was a cold, hollow trumpeting sound through its trunk, “Your morph’s failed once already, what makes you think it will protect you a second time against me?”

“Cause I’m not done yet.” Conrad straightened, and even through his visor looked the much taller Biorg dead in the eyes, “GeoForce Green Ranger, the Strength of Earth! **Dragon’s Strength Form!!**” Every rock, stone, pebble and bit of dirt or dust within a dozen feet of Conrad was pulled towards him and began swirling about his body, and then was sucked into his Ranger armor. The black portion of Conrad’s armor covering his shoulders and upper torso became a metallic chest plate. His gloves became heavy armored gauntlets, complete with armored knuckles. His boots became heavy armored boots that seemed to connect him directly to the earth. The horn motif on his helmet expanded up, off his helmet, rounding and becoming two massive, curved horns. The transformation complete, the Strength of Earth sigil on his chest flared with green light.

Pachigerm took a step back, “Only the Red Ranger can . . .”

“Ty’s got his Dragon Form, now it looks like I’ve got mine. Terra Crush!” Conrad stomped his foot on the ground. The pavement buckled, and a huge shockwave of green energy plowed into Pachigerm, knocking the Biorg off its feet. As Pachigerm tried to stand, Conrad was on him, pounding it with super-strong blows. This is what the other Rangers saw as they regained consciousness and regrouped.

Seeing his friends were up and okay, Conrad decided to finish the fight, “Say goodnight ugly. Horn Charge!” Conrad ran full on at Pachigerm, the horns growing from his helmet charging, that energy spreading over the rest of his body until he became a rushing shaft of green energy . . . that ran right through the Biorg. Conrad’s form solidified as he came to a stop on the other side of the Biorg, which fell backwards and exploded. Conrad began to turn back towards his friends when, deep inside the remains of Pachigerm’s synthetic skeleton a vial of putrid green liquid was ruptured.

Pachigerm roared as he grew to monstrous height. “Fine,” Conrad muttered. “Thought I’d have to wait to see if this worked the same for me like it does for Ty, but I guess not. Auroch Zord, Arise!”

At Conrad’s call, the large bovine Zord thundered to the scene. Conrad jumped to the cockpit and grabbed the control crystal. Just as Tyler had described happening with his Firedrake Zord, the energy of Conrad’s Dragon form immediately transferred from him to the Zord. However, in this case a much more radical transformation took place, as the Auroch grew and transformed into a massive, horned, Green Earth Dragon.

Pachigerm seemed to consider the situation for a second, and even took a step back as the Earth Dragon roared, but then collected itself and tried its Spore Trumpet attack again. The Earth Dragon was coated, and Conrad got a bit concerned, but the feeling he was getting from the Dragon was one of . . . amusement? Conrad soon understood when Pachigerm snapped its fingers and the spores detonated. The Dragon didn’t flinch . . . in fact, it kind of tickled.

“Okay ugly, you had your turn, now it’s mine!” Conrad studied his controls and was rather upset when he found his Dragon didn’t seem to have a warrior mode, just a set of controls that were dark at the moment. However, Conrad recovered when he saw another option. “Alright . . . Primal Quake!”

The Earth Dragon’s massive horns began to build energy. When the power reached its peak, the Dragon drove its horns into the ground. Glowing green fissures opened in the ground all around Pachigerm. Suddenly, the ground was sundered in a huge torrent of energy from deep within the Earth that obliterated the Biorg. When the smoke cleared, the ground was whole. The Green Earth Dragon roared in victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Ranger Rule Tyler references is from _Code of a Ranger_ by Marius Girl on Fanfiction.net.


	37. Here Be Dragons Part 2

“That was so cool! Did you see my Earth Dragon?! Tyler, Dragon Form rocks! And I thought the first time we called the Zords was cool!” Conrad Mason, GeoForce Green Ranger had been going on in rather hyper-kinetic fashion for the last thirty minutes since his defeat of the Biorg called Pachigerm.

The three female Rangers, along with Grandmother were all watching Conrad bounce around Sanctuary with varying degrees of amusement. However, Tyler seemed to be sulking. Craig came up behind his boyfriend and wrapped his arms around him, “You’re brooding.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. Are you jealous that you’re not the only one who can take Dragon Form anymore?”

“No, not of that. We need all the power we can find to beat him,” as usual, for the sake of the Kingsley twins’ feelings, Tyler did not directly name their father, the evil mastermind behind the Biorgs. “It’s just that, the first time I took Dragon Form I was out cold for three days afterwards, but Conrad’s bouncing around like that Halloween he ate all his candy in an hour!”

Craig laughed lightly and gave Tyler a squeeze, “Okay, first off, the thought of Conrad with that much sugar in his system is just scary. Secondly, let’s think about what you went through the day you first took Dragon Form; you barely escaped the crash of a star cruiser, you were tortured, and after you transformed you single-handedly took out the new Magnificence. Conrad just took out a stronger than normal Biorg.”

“Okay, you’ve got a point,” responded Tyler, now smiling. “So, when are the rest of you going to join us?”

Andrea now broke from watching her boyfriend’s antics and turned to Grandmother, “That’s a good question. Do we all have Dragon Forms?”

“Until today, I believed there was a good chance that only Tyler would be able to transform like that. The Power seems to have a special place for Reds,” the Ranger’s mentor responded. “However, with Conrad also accessing that level of power, I would say that it is a possibility for all of you.”

“Then how do we do it,” Melissa voiced everyone’s question.

Grandmother was silent for a moment, and then answered, “That is something each of you must find on your own. For Tyler, that was the threat Omni posed. For Conrad, the imminent threat to Andrea.” Conrad and Andrea exchanged a glance and blushed.

Melissa looked disappointed, “Nothing’s ever simple is it?”

“My mom used to say that the Universe is very simple, it’s Life that makes things complicated,” Tyler observed.

******************************************************************************

The next few weeks were relatively quiet . . . except for the fact that several dozen more people went missing, bringing the total to nearly one hundred. Parts of New Tech City had become nearly ghost towns and the Mayor was calling for Sky’s head, calling him incompetent for not being able to prevent further abductions or find the people who were already missing. To make matters worse, Dr. Kingsley appeared to have found a way to prevent his forces from being detected when they teleported. The only upside was that since no bodies had turned up yet the comforting assumption that the abductees were still alive could be made.

Nia was lost in thought about the situation, her heart going out to both the abductees and their loved ones, and her anger rising at the Biorgs’ so-called Master for what he was doing. She was walking on automatic pilot to her uncle Kai’s martial arts studio. She had not been attending her lessons with him very much since becoming a Ranger, but with the new understanding she had with her Mother excuses had been made. However, today was quiet and Nia thought a good sparring session with her favorite uncle and Sensei would help clear her head.

Nia was almost to the storefront dojo when she was forcibly snapped back to reality by a figure flying through the large front window. In a shower of glass shards, a Biodrone hit the pavement. Nia looked through the now-empty window frame and spotted her uncle Kai covering a half dozen of his students as they fled out the emergency exit . . . fleeing from Malika and three more Biodrones.

“Oh no she didn’t,” Nia muttered. Movement out of the corner of Nia’s eye alerted her to the Biodrone getting back up. A quick heel stomp to its head assured that the drone would be not doing anything more than becoming a gooey smear on the sidewalk as it vaporized.

Nia dived through the window, rolled, and came up into a spinning kick to the small of Malika’s back. The cloned mutant warrior was thrown forward. “Sensei, run!” Nia shouted at her uncle, despite her anger remembering not to reveal too much to Malika.

“Nia?” Kai Tan asked in shock at his niece’s sudden appearance. Unfortunately, he was not moving and Malika was back on her feet. Fortunately, his students had all fled to safety. Nia made a quick decision.

“**It’s Morphin’ Time! Power of Water!**” The now fully morphed Blue Ranger put herself between her uncle and Malika and her remaining minions.

Malika and Nia stared each other down, “How is it you brats always show up where you’re least wanted?”

Nia cocked her head to one side watching Malika and trying to shove her uncle towards the exit, but he seemed too stunned to move, “Brats? You’re what, two, three months old and you’re calling us brats?”

Malika screamed and swung her sword. Nia spun, throwing her uncle to the floor and shielding him with her armored body. But Malika’s attack had not been to cut. She released an arc of energy from her sword that cut through the building’s main support pillar. She and her remaining Biodrones jumped out the shattered window as the building collapsed on Nia and Kai. Outside, as she strode away Malika met the remaining GeoForce Rangers, who had been alerted by Nia’s morphing.

“Freeze Malika!” Tyler ordered.

Malika laughed, “You’ve been around those SPD drones far too long Red Ranger, you’re even starting to talk like them. And, I’m the least of your problems . . . your little Blue Ranger is in there with a civilian,” Malika gestured to the collapsing building behind her. “Oh, and you have to deal with Fugelp!” A Biorg created from the combination of puffer fish and kelp, built on the basic humanoid Biorg frame appeared next to Malika.

******************************************************************************

“Uncle Kai, can you hear me?” Nia’s voice reached her uncle’s ears and dragged him back from the edge of unconsciousness. He opened his eyes to find himself looking into the visor of the Blue GeoForce Ranger. He was still having trouble processing the fact that he had seen his one-and-only niece morph. However, what happened before and after came rushing back, as he realized that he was surrounded by debris, that there was intense pain in his right leg, and that said morphed niece was holding up the roof.

“Nia?”

“Uncle Kai, thank god! Are you okay?”

“No, my leg’s trapped under some of the rubble . . . and I think it’s broken. You’re a Ranger?”

“We can deal with that later. Right now, we need get you out of here. Plus, strength is Green’s department,” Nia continued, deciding not to “out” her teammates, “not mine, so I can only hold this up for so long. Grandmother?”

Kai was about to ask Nia who he was talking to, when they were the only one’s there, when she kept speaking and he realized she was on some kind of radio link, “I have one civilian with me, he’s injured and I’m currently holding up the roof, can you teleport him to the nearest hospital?”

Nia looked at Kai again, at least he assumed so since the visor of her helmet was currently pointed at him, “Uncle Kai, we’re going to send you to the hospital now . . . this may feel a bit weird.” Kai started to ask what she was talking about, when he felt something like static electricity gather around him, and suddenly he was somewhere else . . . surrounded by bright lights and people in medical uniforms.

“Nia, do you need me to teleport you out as well?” Grandmother asked.

Nia was about to respond yes when she felt water pooling around her boots from a burst water pipe somewhere in the building. A rush went through her and she responded, with new power and conviction to her voice as a smile played at her lips, “No Grandmother, I’m fine.”

******************************************************************************

The Rangers were fighting a pitched battle with Malika, a seemingly endless army of Biodrones, and the new Biorg Fugelp. Tyler and Conrad were about to call on their Dragon Forms when they were all stopped dead by the rubble from the collapsed dojo exploding outward as Nia’s voice called out, “GeoForce Blue Ranger, the Flowing of Water, **Dragon’s Tears Form!**”

A pillar of swirling water shot up out of the ruins, and then collapsed into Nia’s armor. Her chest plate was more form fitting than the boys’, and her gauntlets and boots more tapered. They also featured silver fins. The silver fin motif around Nia’s visor had also extended up and out from her helmet. Her Flowing of Water sigil blazed with blue light.

An eerie calm descended as Nia strode slowly out of the remains of her Uncle’s dojo. Tyler reacted first by muttering, “Oh crap.” He promptly grabbed the twins and pulled them off to the side.

“Tyler, what the hell?” Craig and Melissa asked simultaneously.

“Ever hear the term eye of the hurricane?” Tyler asked back.

“Oh crap,” the twins responded.

Conrad pointed and laughed at Malika as Andrea pulled him out of the way, “Ha! You pissed Nia off!”

“So?” Malika asked, even though she was obviously unnerved by the Rangers’ reactions.

Nia stopped in the middle of the street, and the world seemed to stop with her. Even the Biodrones and Fugelp stopped dead. Malika, however, backed away slowly. Finally finding her voice, the minion of evil commanded, “Don’t just stand there! Attack!”

Fugelp and the Biodrones charged Nia. Nia, for her part, simply said, “Biodrones are plant based. Plant cells are mostly water.” As she spoke, she called to the water in the Biodrones and ripped it out of them. Their shriveled husks dropped to the ground and vaporized. Fugelp made it through, but when it tried to punch Nia, it found itself pounding on a wall of water . . . the water pulled from the Biodrones . . . that was as hard as steel. As the Biorg staggered back confused, Nia cocked her head and commanded, “Hydro Burst!” The water now blasted outward in a torrent that not only knocked Fugelp back but punched a hole right through it.

Malika looked from her Biorg to the Blue Ranger with a mixture of rage and fear. Without a word, she pressed a stud on the hilt of her sword. As Fugelp began to glow with a putrid green light, heal, and grow, Malika retreated in an indigo flash. Nia muttered, “Cowardly bitch,” before calling aloud, “Leviathan Zord, Arise!”

Heeding its Ranger’s call, the massive, serpentine Zord burst out of New Tech harbor. Nia leapt to the cockpit. Having been forewarned by Tyler and Conrad’s experiences, she wasn’t surprised when she reverted to her normal armor, as her Dragon Form energy transferred to the Zord. The Zord tripled in size, its four fins became legs with webbed claws, while at the same time it became stockier, more draconic, as if any underlying skeleton had become sturdier. In the cockpit, the Flowing of Water symbol burst into blue light as Nia announced, “Blue Water Dragon Zord!”

Fugelp attacked, but Nia spun the Water Dragon, somehow avoiding hitting any buildings as she swept its feet out from under it with her Dragon’s tail. The Biorg managed to get back up and retaliated with a barraged of explosive quills, which didn’t seem to faze the Dragon in the slightest. “Malika ran, so I’m taking my frustrations out on you ugly, Primal Tsunami!” The Water Dragon roared, and in response a massive waterspout erupted out of the harbor and crashed into the Zord, which absorbed the water. It then opened its massive jaws and torrent of energy-charged water washed Fugelp into nothingness.


	38. Here Be Dragons Part 3

Sky Tate, former Blue Ranger, former Red Ranger, and current Commander of Space Patrol and Defense Terran Division looked around the rather crowded conference table in the secure briefing room in SPD Headquarters. Near the head of the table with him were his former B Squad teammates and current SPD and Academy staff: Sydney “Syd” Drew, former Pink Ranger and now Commandant of the Academy; Bridge Carson, former Green and later Blue Ranger and now Academy instructor and head of SPD Terran Psych Division; and Elizabeth “Z” Delgado, former Yellow Ranger and current head of the Academy Flight School. Adding to the mix was Jack Landors, former Red Ranger and officially retired from SPD, however Sky had taken the liberty, with High Commander Anubis Cruger’s full support, of secretly reinstating Jack with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and the associated security clearances. Sky took a moment to reflect on the last time they were all in this room together, facing a crisis. It was just before they left to respond to A Squad’s fake distress signal. Jack was Red Ranger then, and they all sat here listening to then Commander Cruger in their SPD Ranger uniforms. Now Sky wore the black, long coated uniform of Commander, and his friends, except for Jack, wore similar uniforms, only with shorter jackets marking them as department heads. However, each bore a bar above their badge, in Sky and Bridge’s cases two, that indicated their former Ranger colors.

Taking up the remainder of the right-hand side of the table was Sky’s current Alpha Squad Rangers: Dramlin Zell, Red-1; Jeffery Andersen, Blue-2; Kristof “Kris” Forge, Green-3; Amanda “Maddy” Lopez, Yellow-4; and Bethany Torres, Pink-5. These five, Academy graduates and seasoned officers all sported the grey uniforms of SPD, but with the color-coded star pattern and sleeve stripes indicating their Ranger status, along with the gold badges marking them as the Alpha Squad.

The other side of the table was occupied by what would appear to be a motley crew of teenagers, and many would question their presence in a secure meeting room . . . hence the reason the six GeoForce Power Rangers teleported into the room rather than come in through the main entrance. Even though they looked like any normal kids, if you knew the signs they were just as marked as Rangers as their SPD counterparts. Each favored a singular color in their wardrobe, and each wore an identical bracelet-like watch. 

Closest to Sky in red was Tyler Forge, someone deeply tied to SPD through his father; an Academy instructor and former patrol officer, his mother; who served as a Community Liaison Officer until her death, and his brother; the Alpha Squad Green Ranger. Even though Tyler had no interest in SPD for himself, he still became part of the Ranger Legacy when he was chosen as the Red Ranger of Fire.

Seated next to Tyler in black and holding his hand under the table was Craig Kingsley. He and his sister, Melissa, seated next beyond him and in white, had come to being Rangers by a difficult and unfortunate route. Their father was the mastermind behind the city’s current troubles and had used them as his generals after murdering their mother. As Sky understood it, not that he completely understood it; Tyler had used his power to free Craig, who in turn freed Melissa, allowing them to become the Black Ranger of the Sun and the White Ranger of the Moon respectively. Without any family and with the need to maintain their identities, Sky had taken the twins in . . . after a fair amount of emotional blackmail from Syd and Z. Sky had never really considered having children. His duties had pretty much made a relationship impossible, and given how young he had lost his own, fatherhood was a daunting prospect. However, the twins had filled a void he didn’t know needed filling. To the point that while he was happy for Tyler and Craig in their relationship, he found himself having to repress a very fatherly, threatening glare when he looked at Tyler sometimes.

Next was Nia, Blue Ranger of Water, quietly studying the room. Her healing powers had helped Sky out more than once. Until recently she had some problems with her mother over being a Ranger, but those had apparently been resolved. Nia was usually the calm, contemplative member of the group but, as her most recent encounter with the enemy had proven; she was every bit as frighteningly dangerous as the Ranger women who had preceded her.

Finally, he came to the other current Ranger couple: Conrad, Green Ranger of Earth and Andrea, Yellow Ranger of Air. They were also holding hands under the table, although Sky thought it was probably more an attempt by Andrea to hold Conrad’s boundless enthusiasm in check than a romantic gesture. The GeoForce Rangers’ mentor, the former Ranger now know as Grandmother, Aisha Campbell had recently commented to Sky that when she first encountered Conrad, she thought that her old friend and teammate Rocky DeSantos had been reincarnated in the high-spirited young man. However, biology more than explained Conrad . . . the grandson of one of the most hyperkinetic Rangers of all time: Kelsey Winslow, Yellow Lightspeed Ranger.

Sky continued with the briefing, discussing the changes in the behavior of the enemy. There had not been a significant Biorg attack in weeks, but people kept going missing. The total was rapidly approaching two hundred and they were no closer to finding Jackson Kingsley or all the missing people. The assembled Rangers were well into debating options when the GeoForce Rangers’ communicators beeped at the same moment the intercom called for Sky’s attention.

Tyler leapt out of his chair and moved to the far side of the room, “Tyler here, go ahead Grandmother.”

Sky pressed the response button on the intercom, “Tate here. Go.”

“Rangers, the Biorgs are attacking the governmental center.”

“Sir, NTC-Net has is registering an attack on the New Tech Governmental Center. Beta Squad is responding.”

Sky and Tyler’s eyes met across the room, and both said, “On our way.” Sky and the B Squad ran for the Command Center as Alpha Squad ran for the hanger, while the GeoForce Rangers gathered around Tyler. “Ready?” Tyler asked. “It’s Morphing Time!” The six Rangers brought up their communicators and, with flicks of their wrists, transformed them into their Geomorphers.

**“Power of Fire!”**

**“Power of Water!”**

**“Power of Air!”**

**“Power of Earth!”**

**“Anima Spirit Power!”**

**“Animus Spirit Power!”**

******************************************************************************

Flashes of multi-colored light deposited the GeoForce Rangers in the central square of New Tech City’s governmental center. The Beta Squad SPD Rangers were already on the scene, and barely holding their own. Boom had finally managed to develop an upgrade for their weapons that would handle Biodrones effectively, the irony being that the upgrade was technically a technological step backwards . . . explosive solid-state armor piercing rounds that carried a payload of a powerful herbicide. However, against Crul and the newest Biorg, a cross between humanoid, avian, and a pitcher plant they were useless. The GeoForce Rangers ran into battle.

Tyler spotted Crul going after Beta Red . . . for some reason, regardless of whether it was Craig under there or his mutated clone Crul was obsessed with any Ranger in red. Tyler yelled orders over his team’s link as he ran to help the severely overmatched Red, “Twins, you’re on Biorg duty. Everybody else, take over for the Beta’s so they can focus on covering civilians.” He got a series of affirmative replies . . . although he could tell from Craig’s voice that his boyfriend would much rather be going up against his dark doppelganger . . . just as he reached Beta Red and used his sword to block a strike from Crul that would have cut the other Ranger in half.

Beta Yellow and Pink were caught between an advancing mob of Biodrones and a large group of civilians when Pink’s weapon clicked, “Damn! I’m out.” Yellow got one more shot off before his weapon clicked empty as well. They prepared to fight hand to hand when they heard a shout of “Rangers, down!” Both dropped to crouches as the same voice yelled “Aero Shock!” and bolts of lightning shot over their heads, arcing through the massed Biodrones, rendering them piles of vaporizing goo. Andrea landed in front of the two Beta Squad Rangers and turned to them, “Get them out of here!” Pink began to comply, but Yellow grabbed Andrea’s arm, “The other two buildings are clear, but,” he said, pointing to the tallest of the three buildings making up the governmental center, “the mayor and some of his staff are trapped on the top floor. The drones are blocking our access both on the ground and from the roof.”

Andrea nodded and said, “Okay, let’s see them block mine.” She ran towards the building and leapt. At the apex of her leap, she initiated teleportation. Andrea’s teleport pulse deposited her in a combat roll in the mayor’s office/conference room. She came up to her feet, manifesting her Tornado Sais just as the Biodrones broke through the conference table that that had been used as a barricade. Andrea yelled, “Get behind me,” to the room’s occupants and engaged the Biodrones. She didn’t want to risk unleashing her Aero Shock in a confined space so engaged the drones with her weapons. She made quick work of them and then saw something that shocked her as she turned around. Cradling the mayor’s head, and nursing a gash above his eye, was Jessica Craft . . . Andrea’s mother.

Before she even thought, Andrea began to ask, “What . . .”

“I’m the mayor’s new liaison to SPD. Not exactly how I expected to start my first day. The mayor’s been injured,” Jessica responded quickly, giving no outward indication that she knew anything other than it was a Power Ranger she was talking to. Andrea nodded and began to call Grandmother when the windows shattered inward and the Biodrones that had been on the roof swarmed in. Jessica threw herself over the mayor as the glass came flying inward.

Everything seemed to slow down for Andrea and the sudden breeze from outside swept over her. Outside the wind picked up and storm clouds appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. On the ground the other GeoForce Rangers heard a familiar voice carried on the wind, “GeoForce Yellow Ranger, the Force of Air! **Dragon’s Breath Form!**”

Andrea seemed to become engulfed in a whirlwind that was suddenly sucked into her armor. Like Nia’s, Andrea’s Dragon armor was more form fitting than the boys’, featuring a metallic black chest plate, gauntlets, and boots. The wings of the bird motif on her helmet had extended up and off the helmet much like Tyler’s. Moreover, like Tyler’s Dragon armor, Andrea’s had wings . . . great yellow and silver bird wings. The entire effect made her look like a battle-armored angel. Andrea spread her wings, and with two quick flaps created a gale that knocked all the Biodrones back out the window.

Andrea followed them, circling the courtyard below on her powerful wings. She spotted the Biorg below, knocking Craig into a decorative planter and she tucked her wings back and dove like a bird of prey, pulling out of the dive as she grabbed the Biorg and flew high into the air.

“Release me Ranger!” the Biorg yelled in a gurgling, squawking voice.

“Your funeral,” Andrea replied and dropped the Biorg. It desperately flapped its wing-like arms and managed to land with minimal damage in the industrial park Andrea had been over when she let go. Andrea landed gracefully a few feet away. The Biorg spun on her and launched a spray of liquid from its pitcher-like beak. Andrea again spread her wings and took to the air and the liquid hit the ground, where it began to melt through the pavement.

“I think you’ve done enough damage for one day,” Andrea announced as she hovered above the Biorg. She looked up and storm clouds blotted out the sun. “Aero Shock!” The sky rumbled and a massive bolt of lighting ripped from the heavens and blasted into the Biorg.

Andrea landed just as the other GeoForce Rangers came running up. Conrad grabbed her in a huge, bouncing hug, “Andy that was great!”

“It’s not over yet,” Melissa said interrupting the celebration as the Biorg reformed in a forty-story version.

Under her helmet, Andrea smiled, “I guess it’s time for my Dragon Zord. Thunderbird Zord, arise!”

There was a peal of thunder and a bird scream as the Thunderbird Zord appeared. Andrea spread her wings and flew up to meet it. She entered the cockpit and grabbed the control crystal, her Dragon Form energy transferring to the Zord. The Zord grew, its form shifting with the Dragon energy until it resembled a more massive version of the Firedrake Zord but retained a very avian appearance. As the Force of Air sigil on the wall behind her began to glow Andrea announced, “Yellow Air Dragon Zord!” 

The Biorg almost immediately attacked. The Air Dragon banked, dove, and slashed it with its massive claws. The Biorg staggered under the assault and lashed out in retaliation. The strike connected and the Air Dragon rolled under the assault and nearly crashed into the ground, but it opened its wings and a massive gust of wind came out of nowhere to support it. In the cockpit, Andrea said, “I have had just about all of you I am willing to deal with.” Once again, the sky darkened as the Air Dragon flew up above the Biorg. With a roar it opened its jaws as Andrea commanded “Primal Storm!” Wind and lighting burst forth from the Dragon’s jaws, obliterating the Biorg.

******************************************************************************

Twenty minutes later Andrea, still morphed, found her mother just finishing being checked out by the med techs. Noticing her daughter Jessica nodded in the direction of one of the outlying buildings of the governmental center and walked towards it. Andrea followed. Once inside, Jessica found an unoccupied office and awaited Andrea. She didn’t have to wait long, as within moments the Yellow Ranger joined her and closed the door. Andrea looked at her mother through her visor for a moment and then said, “Power down.” In a flash of yellow light, her armor vanished.

However, before Andrea could speak Jessica said, “You’re quite impressive.”

That had not been what Andrea was expecting, and so it took her a moment to collect herself before responding. “Thank you. But, um, what are you doing here?”

“I told you, I’m the new Mayoral liaison to SPD,” Jessica responded.

“I got that, but why?” Andrea couldn’t keep the tone of suspicion out of her voice.

“I could say that it was a good career opportunity, and in some respects, it is. But the main reason was you.” Andrea’s face flushed and Jessica could tell she had taken the comment wrong, so she held up her hand and said, “Please, Andrea, let me finish. I know you don’t like me, and after our last meeting I had to admit to myself you have very good reasons not to.” That admission stopped Andrea cold, and she just stared at Jessica. “I was never fair to you or your father. I was never the mother you deserved, even before I left. Elena Mason was there more for Conrad than I was for you, and she’s a trauma surgeon for pity’s sake.”

The suspicion was not completely gone from Andrea’s eyes or voice when she asked, “So, what now?”

Jessica sighed, “For now, I will be living here in New Tech again. Other than that, I’m not asking to be your mom, just your friend and an ally in the Mayor’s office. But maybe someday, you’ll consider me your mom again.”

Andrea seemed torn, and a dozen emotions seemed to cross her face. Finally, she looked up and met Jessica’s eyes, “No promises, but I’m willing to give you a chance.”

Jessica smiled and was about to say more when Andrea’s communicator beeped. Andrea looked away and responded, “Andrea here, go.”

Tyler’s voice came out of the device, “Hey, we just heard from Alpha Squad.”

“Really? Where the hell were those guys? They missed the fight.”

“I wondered that too, but right after we left SPD picked up another disturbance. The attack on the governmental center was a cover for Malika to go after more civilians. She got a few, but Alpha Squad managed to drive her off with a lot fewer people than she had intended to grab.”

“But that still means there’s more people missing.”

“Yeah, but there’s an upside.”

“Ty, how can there possibly be an upside?”

“Because, with both Crul and Malika teleporting so close in time to each other, under intense monitoring by SPD and Sanctuary, Grandmother and Boom were able to triangulate their teleport vectors.”

“Wait, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Yeah. We know where Dr. Whacko’s hideout is.”


	39. Council of War

Council of war. Tyler never thought he’d ever be in any kind of situation that he could describe using those words. Then again, less than a year ago Tyler never thought he would be using the title Power Ranger to describe himself. But a lot can change in less than a year. Change so much that he and his fellow GeoForce Power Rangers were now standing in the Command Center deep in the heart of SPD Terran Division Headquarters alongside the two active SPD Ranger Squads, Alpha and Beta, as well as the members of the original B-Squad.

It would have been really cramped, except that over the last decade since the defeat of the Troobians the Command Center had been significantly expanded in order to accommodate two active Ranger teams. The current Center was roughly three times the size of its original design, allowing a greater number of personnel to monitor a greater number of situations.

There had been some grumbling when Jack and the GeoForce Rangers had been led into the Center by the Sky and the other former B-Squad Rangers, especially from the Beta Squad who up until now had been kept in the dark about their identities. But a “Commander Glare” from Sky had ended that. Tyler found himself studying the Beta Squad and knew Andrea was likely doing the same, as this was the first time they had seen them un-morphed. Not surprisingly, they seemed to be all Xenos, because while Alpha Squad was pretty much a full tour Terran posting Beta was considered a training ground for postings at other SPD outposts. Red was a dark-skinned female with white hair and large all-white eyes, lacking even pupils. Blue was a large male with silvery skin. A lanky male with pale blue skin and bright, bright blond hair was Green. A male with dark blue skin and hair who sported fangs, bright yellow eyes, and a barbed tail was wearing Yellow. Pink, a pale female, seemed the most human and may have been mistaken for a Karovian with the white streak running through her brunette hair, but she was covered up more than Bridge, the only exposed skin being that of her face. The Betas seemed to be studying them just as intently, and their expressions implied they weren’t thrilled with the deference with which the GeoForce was being treated.

Sky cleared his throat, bringing everyone’s attention to the central command podium. Boom hit a few keys and the holographic display projected a map of California. “We’ve finally had the break we needed,” Sky began the briefing. “After the last pair of attacks, we’ve finally been able to triangulate the enemy’s teleport vectors and determine where they’re based. Here,” Sky pointed, and the map zoomed in on a spot between Angel Grove and Stone Canyon.

The twins Craig and Melissa spoke in stereo, “That’s the University of Terra!”

Sky spared a sympathetic glance at his young wards and then put his professional face back on, “Yes. Specifically we tracked the teleport vectors to here,” he pointed again and the map zoomed in further to a show a complex of domes on the U of T campus, “and now that we knew where to look, satellite telemetry has indicated a honeycomb of chambers about fifty to one hundred meters below the campus’ botanical gardens.” The hologram changed to a schematic of the mentioned system of chambers. One exceptionally large chamber was glowing. Sky glanced at Boom.

“This larger chamber is also showing massive human life sign readings and is likely where the kidnapped people are being held,” the scientist continued. “However, the readings suggest they’re in stasis. And we’re also picking up massive amounts of that biotechnic signature we’ve come to associate with the Biorgs.”

Tyler stepped forward, “What’s the plan, Sky?” The Betas all gaped openly at how Tyler addressed the Commander. However, when they noticed that nobody, Sky included had even flinched they exchanged a glance and turned their attention back to their Commander.

Sky took a deep breath, shared a glance with his former teammates, who made up his current family and began, “Unfortunately, we can’t pre-evac the campus, as that would likely tip our hand. Therefore, the GeoForce Rangers’ mentor will be teleporting us in, just outside the main dome, from which there appears to be an access to the subterranean chambers, which are teleport shielded. Once there, Alpha and Beta Squads will establish a perimeter and evac any civilians. GeoForce will lead the charge, with us,” he gestured to himself and the other original B-Squad members, “backing them up.”

Dramlin and the Beta Squad Red Ranger both stepped forward and began, “Sir . . .” but Sky cut them off. “There is no room for discussion here. We can’t assume the enemy doesn’t know we’re coming. And in SWAT mode, we’re stronger than you are.” The two SPD Red Rangers stepped back for a moment and their teams digested that comment. While the newest generation of SPD morphers contained a great deal of the SWAT technology and made the Rangers more powerful than the B-Squad’s standard mode, the original SWAT mode was so much more because Kat Manx had found a way to use the bio-energy produced B-Squad members’ genetic abilities to power the SWAT mode.

Sky looked around the Command Center, making quick eye contact with all twenty assembled Rangers. “Alright. Assemble in the main hall in five for morph and teleport. Dismissed.”

******************************************************************************

The being once know as Dr. Jackson Kingsley, now Master of the Biorgs walked through the halls of his underground lair. His generals, the heavily mutated, bio-cybernetic enhanced clones of his own children known as Malika and Crul followed him. “They will be upon us soon,” he said as much to himself as to the two figures behind him, “but it does not matter. I finally have the biomass I require to complete my evolution and transform the planet.” They entered the largest chamber within the lair, a huge domed room lined with row after row of bio-cybernetic pods. Contained within each pod and connected through it to a massive and complex bio-cybernetic machine in the center of the room were the kidnapped civilians.

The Master walked up and laid a hand on the large pod in the center of the main mass of machinery, it opened at his touch. “Malika, is all in readiness?”

“Yes, Master,” the leather clad female replied.

“Very good.” He turned to his minions, “The time has come. Destroy all who would threaten my ascension.”

Crul and Malika dropped to their knees, “Yes, Master.”

The Master entered the pod and it sealed around him. All through the chamber the other pods began to glow, that glow flowing down from the pods through the vine-like cables to the central pod as the life force of the people inside was drained, fed directly into the being once known as Dr. Jackson Kingsley.

******************************************************************************

The assembled Rangers moved from the Command Center through SPD Headquarters to the escalators that lead down to the main hall. Standing at the top was Lt. Aaron Forge. The other Rangers continued past him, the members of B-Squad giving him either smiles or a nod, but Tyler and Kris stopped. The older man looked at his sons; Rangers both, though they had come to it by completely different paths for a moment and then pulled both young men into one of his infamous bear hugs. For once, his sons didn’t complain. After a moment, he stepped back and looked his sons deeply in the eyes, “May the Power protect you both.” Tyler and Kris did not speak but nodded to their father and moved downstairs.

Once everyone was gathered the Rangers grouped together based on teams, forming up on their Red Rangers. Even the B-Squad formed up on Jack, falling back into old habits and original colors. Jack and Tyler exchanged a glance and Tyler said with a smirk, “Age before beauty.”

Sky snorted, but Jack just smirked and then said, “SPD, ready!” Fourteen voices responded, “Ready!”, then as one, fifteen SPD Rangers went through the familiar morphing motions, and yelled, “**SPD, Emergency!**” Flashes of red, blue, green, yellow, and pink marked their morph. However, when it was complete the original B-Squad members followed up with “**SPD SWAT Mode!**” adding the additional armor boosted by their genetic powers.

Tyler looked at his teammates, his oldest friends Andrea, Conrad, and Nia. His new friend Melissa, and his love Craig. “GeoForce Rangers ready!” Five voices responded “Ready!” Tyler smiled, “Alright then, **It’s Morphing Time! Power of Fire!**”

**“Power of Water!”**

**“Power of Earth!”**

**“Power of Air!”**

**“Animus Spirit Power!”**

**“Anima Spirit Power!”**


	40. Here Be Dragons Redux

Founded a few years after SPD, the University of Terra was designed as an interdisciplinary institution for the sharing of Terran and Xeno knowledge. Its location was chosen for its proximity to Angel Grove, site of Earth’s first extraterrestrial contacts. The botanical gardens were a grouping of a dozen large geodesic domes on the very northern edge of the campus. The quiet mid-summer day was interrupted as twenty-one flashes of multi-colored teleport energy suddenly deposited the GeoForce Rangers and their SPD allies on the University grounds.

The few students and other civilians that were around jumped in response to the sudden appearances, but relaxed when they saw Ranger suits and SPD badges. Sky signaled and the Alpha and Beta squads moved to start getting the civilians out of the area. However, the calm was shattered when two indigo-black flashes signaled the arrival of Malika and Crul. Both threw a handful of bio-cybernetic seedpods, each of which exploded into over a dozen Biodrones. Now people started screaming.

“Tyler . . .” Craig said in a voice that suggested that if Tyler told him and Melissa to do anything other than beat on Malika and Crul they were breaking up.

Tyler grinned grimly under his helmet, “Yeah, I think it’s time you showed those two that clones never trump the originals.”

The twins exchanged a glance. Craig called “Nova Sabers!” and manifested his twin black-handled, golden bladed short swords.

“Tidal Bow!” brought forth Melissa’s white and silver bow. She charged forward, launching energy arrows into the Biodrones, clearing a path to Malika and Crul, Craig close on her heels, slashing though any remaining drones that got too close. Once they got through the wall of minions, they found Malika and Crul waiting for them.

******************************************************************************

Tyler, Andrea, Conrad, and Nia began running for the main dome. Jack yelled to his B-Squad teammates, “Okay guys, let’s plow the road . . . SWAT Enforcers!” The five veteran SPD Rangers started laying down covering fire, their Enforcers spitting out the latest version of Boom’s herbicidal rounds which sliced through the Biodrones, keeping them off the GeoForce Rangers’ flank and from coming up behind them. Tyler and Andrea took care of any drones that got in front of them with Fire Strikes and Aero Shocks.

They made it inside the dome and found it literally crawling with hundreds more Biodrones. Everything seemed to pause for a second but then Tyler asked, “You guys ready for this?” and manifested the Inferno Sword.

“More than ready,” Nia answered, bringing forth the Tsunami Lance.

“Oh yeah,” was Andrea’s answer as she twirled the Tornado Sai

“Let’s break stuff,” Conrad finished as he hefted the Quake Hammer.

The GeoForce Power Rangers charged.

******************************************************************************

“This is the end brother! The world will be reborn as the Master decrees!” Crul yelled as he slashed at Craig with his sword. Craig stopped the slash cold with a cross-blade block with his Nova Sabers. He kicked Crul in the chest and yelled back, “Don’t you ever shut up!?”

Crul flew back, rolled with his momentum, and regained his feet firing a blast of energy through his sword. Craig leapt out of the way and attacked Crul again, swords flashing.

Meanwhile, Melissa and Malika were going at it much as they had in their first battle, bouncing around at high speed, slashing and blocking almost too fast to be seen while simultaneously throwing every insult one woman could throw at another. Finally, Melissa got the upper hand and sent Malika flying into Crul.

Melissa landed next to Craig, who looked at his sister and said, “Hey, I was handling him just fine.”

“Sorry, she was pointed towards him when I got my opening,” Melissa didn’t really apologize.

“Don’t celebrate just yet sister,” Malika said as she and Crul rose to their feet. They reached for their belts again and Craig and Melissa braced for more Biodrones, but instead of the bio-cybernetic seedpods both warriors pulled out the silvery dagger needles they used to use to make Biorgs grow. However, instead of containing a green liquid they were filled with one that was glowing neon blue. “We planned to use these on your friends in their Dragon forms,” Malika continued, “but they’re not here and you two don’t have that kind of power, so . . .” They both shoved the daggers into their legs.

The two twisted clones doubled over in pain. Crul suddenly straightened. His blue skin darkened and the horns growing from his head grew larger. Wooden-like spikes grew from his forearms, shoulders, and back and he seemed to gain at least fifty pounds of muscle mass. Malika stayed bent over, but Melissa and Craig could still see her skin turn green and take on a bark-like texture as she too gained mass. Suddenly she looked up and her eyes were now solid green. Before the twins could react, Malika and Crul moved with astounding speed and knocked them both yards back and to the ground.

“Pathetic,” Crul sneered. His voice had taken on an edge like an old tree creaking in a storm, “the Master was right to replace the two of you with us.”

Craig looked at Melissa, “I have had it with these two.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” responded Melissa.

The twins stood and looked up. In the sky, both the sun and moon were visible. Malika and Crul followed the twins’ glance in time to see beams of energy blast out of the two heavenly bodies and streak towards the Black and White Rangers.

The beam from the sun struck Craig. He looked at Crul as the energy danced around him. “You know what my response to that is Crul? This. GeoForce Black Ranger, the Spirit of the Sun! **Solar Dragon Form!**” The wings on his helmet grew and spread outward. Golden, armored gauntlets and boots replaced his regular gloves and boots. A golden chest plate, from which grew large black and gold eagle’s wings formed around him. The Spirit of the Sun sigil glowed with the light of a Midsummer’s noon.

The beam from the moon struck Melissa. “The Power always saves the best for last,” she said with humor. “GeoForce White Ranger, the Spirit of the Moon! **Lunar Dragon Form!**” The unicorn horn motif elongated beyond the edge of the helmet. The gauntlets and boots that appeared were silver, as was the form fitting chest plate. Her Spirit of the Moon sigil shone with the brilliance of the full Hunter’s Moon.

The twins looked at the warped products of their father’s manipulations of their DNA and said as one, “Let’s do this.”

******************************************************************************

Sky put another herbicidal round into a Biorg and kicked the rapidly melting creature away as he got a bead on another one. He would never admit it to Jack, but if felt good to have the familiar energy of his Blue morpher running through him. It felt like coming home. Even though he was Red longer he figured you never really replaced your first anything, especially Power. He took out another drone and then his attention was drawn to the dome by two flashes of light, just in time to see Craig and Melissa’s Dragon armors manifest. “Go get ‘em, kids,” Sky said, and then returned to the task at hand, trusting in his young wards abilities. However, in the back of his mind he though that, maybe after this battle, they could be more that just his wards.

******************************************************************************

“Dragon armor won’t save you bitch!” Malika yelled and she leapt towards Melissa, reaching with her now-clawed hands.

“Don’t count on it!” Melissa replied with equal venom as she slipped between Malika’s grasping hands, grabbed her arm, and used the clone’s momentum to carry her into a throw. As the evil minion’s body came past her, Melissa let go but jumped and caught Malika in the midsection with a spinning jump kick. There was a small shockwave of energy and displaced air as Melissa connected and Malika went flying through the near wall of one of the secondary domes, and out the far side.

Crul slashed at Craig with the spikes that had grown from his forearms. Craig ducked and then leapt straight up. He spread his wings and took flight, gaining altitude. Suddenly, Craig dived towards the ground. He leveled off only inches from the ground, grabbed Crul, and tossed him high into the air. Crul flew fast, but Craig flew faster and met Crul at the apex of his climb. There, Craig knocked his clone towards the ground with a double overhead blow. Malika had barely recovered from Melissa’s attack and just managed to roll out of the way when Crul hit the ground at tremendous speed. The ground shook as the University of Terra campus gained its own crater.

Crul pulled himself out of the crater his impact made, and Malika pulled herself to her feet to find Craig and Melissa already waiting for them. Before the cloned warriors could react, before they could even get a threat or boast out the twins joined hands as Craig commanded, “Solar Flare!” and Melissa cried “Lunar Slice!” Their energies burst forth and combined, the gold and silver energy slamming into Malika and Crul, who were consumed in the resulting explosion.


	41. Evilution

_Meanwhile:_

Tyler, Andrea, Conrad, and Nia entered the main arboretum dome. This dome was dedicated to Terran plant life using low intensity, permeable force fields to create different climatic zones. The effect from the entrance made it look like someone had crammed a prairie up against a savannah, up against a hardwood forest, next to a conifer forest, abutting a rain forest. 

Normally Andrea would have been fascinated, but she wasn't here to give in to her academic inclinations. Instead she reached up and touched two fingers to the lower edge of her visor, activating her helmet's scanner. "We follow the main path to the center of the dome. The trapdoor's hidden by a fountain in the center." 

"Traps?" Tyler asked.

"No," Andrea responded, suddenly dropping into a battle stance and manifested her Tornado Sais as almost a hundred Biodrones jumped out of the trees and other plants, "just a crap load of them." 

Everything seemed to pause for a second, but then Tyler asked, “You guys ready for this?” and manifested the Inferno Sword.

“More than ready,” Nia answered, bringing forth the Tsunami Lance.

“Oh yeah,” was Andrea’s answer as she twirled the Tornado Sai.

“Let’s break stuff,” Conrad finished as he hefted the Quake Hammer.

Tyler pointed with his sword and yelled, "Rangers, take 'em out!"

The four original GeoForce Rangers charged, quickly dividing the Biodrones as groups went after each individual Ranger. Nia executed a series of back flips, leading her group of drones towards the rainforest section of the dome. She felt a soft tingle as she passed through the environmental force field and she stopped flipping and stood her ground about halfway through the exhibit. Through her visor the Blue Ranger eyed the drones critically and then commented, "I may not be able to pull the water out of you things when I'm not in Dragon Form . . . but do you have any idea just how much water there is in the air in a rain forest?" Nia twirled the Tsunami Lance and water built up around the blades. She then jumped into the crowd of Biodrones, decimating them with spinning attacks which also launched blade-like blasts of water from the ends of her Lance. 

Andrea swiped Nia's idea and dived through the force field around the prairie section, a few dozen Biodrones following her. "Prairie plants are adapted to deal with high intensity wind and lightning . . . are you?" the Yellow Ranger taunted. She launched herself into a spinning jump, her Sais outstretched. Wind and lightning danced around her and lashed out at the drones. 

The Red and Green Rangers exchanged a glance. "The girls are showing off," Tyler commented.

"Yeah," Conrad responded, his voice soft as he watched his girlfriend electrocute her enemies.

"You are so whipped," Tyler said laughingly as he ignited the Inferno Sword and started slashing away at the Biodrones in front of him. 

"Hey," Conrad yelled indignantly and powered up his Quake Hammer, slamming it into the ground and watching a half dozen Biodrones vaporize as the resulting energy wave hit them. 

The Rangers regrouped and pushed forward, destroying the remaining Biodrones that stood in their way until the made it to the center of the dome. Andrea located the trapdoor and Tyler glanced at the Green Ranger, "Con?" 

"On it," Conrad replied. He charged his hammer and slammed it into the trapdoor with an overhead blow, knocking the several inch thick, reinforced door to the floor of the tunnel below. Conrad jumped down through the hole and looked around for Biodrones. When none immediately attacked him, he called, "Hello? Anybody home?" 

The other Rangers leapt down after him and looked around. Looking at the hallways of the underground lair Tyler commented, “Wow, somebody’s into H.R. Geiger.” Then he focused on his Yellow Ranger, “’Drea?”

Andrea looked around with her scanner and finally pointed down one of the hallways, “This way.” The Rangers took off at a full run through the strange techno-organic hallways, weapons at the ready for any attack that may come. However, no attack ever came. It was as if the Master felt that any defense down here in the tunnels was unnecessary.

The Rangers turned a corner and saw a light at the end of the tunnel. Andrea’s scanner indicated that this was where all the human bio-signs were coming from. They ran down the hall and stopped dead as they entered the chamber. The girls gasped. Conrad uttered something that sounded like “oh my god.” Tyler swore. The massive domed room was lined with row after row of bio-cybernetic pods. Inside the pods were the silhouettes of a person . . . the kidnapped civilians. Each of the pods was connected through a glowing, vine-like cable to a much larger pod in the center of the chamber.

Nia asked, “Tyler, what do we do?”

Tyler was silent for a moment, “I don’t know Nia.”

Suddenly, a booming sinister voice filled the chamber, “I know . . .” The central pod began to open like a flower, putrid green light pouring out between the growing cracks, “you can die!”

******************************************************************************

Craig and Melissa, still in Dragon Form, stood over the prone figures of Malika and Crul. While the twisted clones had managed to survive the combined force of the twins’ Dragon boosted power strikes, they were knocked unconscious. Suddenly the entryway of the nearby dome, as well as several hundred square feet of the surrounding wall exploded outward in green-yellow energy, carrying the forms of the first four GeoForce Rangers with it.

“Guys!” Craig yelled and began to run towards his friends, but his sister’s hand on his arm stopped him. She was looking at the hole the other Rangers had come out of and Craig followed her look. Another figure was exiting through the rubble. It was approximately seven feet tall. Its skin was blackened with a bark-like texture, with cracks through which there was nauseous green glow was visible. Sprouting from the top of its head and trailing down its back were bluish-purple vines covered in leaves. Similar leaves grew from random spots on the thing’s body. It stopped and turned sunken, glowing yellow-green eyes towards the twins and in a voice that sounded like tree limbs cracking in a storm, “Hello children.”

Melissa breathed, “Father?”

But the creature that was once Dr. Jackson Kingsley was no longer paying attention. Instead, his attention turned to his fallen minions, “Hmmm, disappointing, but not surprising. However, perhaps you can be of some final use to me.” At this, he raised his left forearm and two glowing spikes grew from his it. He snapped the spikes off and threw them at Malika and Crul while looking at the twins and said, “Enjoy.” The spikes sunk into Crul and Malika’s flesh. The evil clones melted into twin piles of bluish-purple and green goo which then combined. The goo swirled together, taking on an androgynous humanoid form that possessed aspects of both dark warriors and then it grew to titanic height.

Without pause, Melissa and Craig looked to the horizon and yelled, “Spirit Zords arise!” 

A dark spot against the sun became the Gryphon Spirit Zord. Craig flew up to meet it and entered the cockpit. As he placed his hands on the control crystal his Dragon energy flowed from him into the Zord. The Zord grew, its form elongating into a massive black and gold serpentine dragon with a bird-like head. In the cockpit, on the wall behind Craig the Spirit of the Sun sigil flared with golden light. “Solar Celestial Dragon Zord!” Craig announced.

Charging over the horizon galloped the Unicorn Spirit Zord. Melissa leapt up into the cockpit and transferred her Dragon energy. Like her brother’s Zord, hers grew and elongated, becoming a serpentine white and silver dragon with a more equine head and a single horn. The Spirit of the Moon sigil glowed with silvery light. Melissa called out, “Lunar Celestial Dragon Zord!”

******************************************************************************

Meanwhile, the Master stalked the fallen GeoForce Rangers. Tyler pushed himself up, amazed that they had managed to stay morphed, but he knew it was a near thing. He had felt his morph flicker as he slammed into the ground. “Guys . . . come on, we gotta get up.”

The others groaned and began to move. The Master stopped and laughed. It was a brittle sound, like bare tree branches rubbing on a window, “So, you still have some fight left in you?”

“You better believe it,” spat Tyler. “Flame Strike!” The fireball smashed into the Master’s face, temporarily blinding him. “Now guys! GeoForce Red Ranger, the Heart of Fire, **Dragon’s Fire Form!**”

The other’ followed suit: “GeoForce Green Ranger, the Strength of Earth, **Dragon’s Strength Form!**”

“GeoForce Blue Ranger, the Flowing of Water, **Dragon’s Tears Form!**”

“GeoForce Yellow Ranger, the Force of Air, **Dragon’s Breath Form!**”

The Master’s vision cleared and revealed the four Geo Dragon Rangers standing opposite him, ready for battle.

******************************************************************************

The creature that was once Malika and Crul lashed out at the Celestial Dragons. The two Zords evaded the strike and blasted back with their respective energy bursts. The creature staggered but was otherwise undamaged.

“What the hell?” Craig yelled over the comm-link, “The other’s each took out a Biorg with their Dragons in one shot!?”

“Those were just normal Biorgs. This thing was made from combining our copies. So, let’s try their trick,” Melissa replied.

Under his helmet, Craig smiled grimly, “Right Sis, let’s bring them together!” The two Zords flew up into the sky and spiraled around each other. Much like the Spirit Zords did the Celestial Dragons combined with the Lunar Dragon becoming the pelvis and legs, and the Solar Dragon became the arms and torso. In their joint cockpit, Craig and Melissa announced, “**Celestial Dragon Megazord!**”

The new Megazord engaged the creature in hand-to-hand in a flurry of punches and kicks. The creature staggered again under the assault. It tried to retaliate, but the Megazord flipped away with astounding grace despite its massive size.

Craig turned to his sister, “Can we finally put these two out of our misery?”

Melissa replied, “Just waiting for you brother.”

The Celestial Dragon Megazord spread its arms. In its right hand a burning miniature sun appeared. In its left, a glowing miniature moon. The Megazord brought the two spheres together, where the golden and silver light mingled. Together the twins yelled, “**Celestial Eclipse Strike!**” The energy burst forth in a mingled blast of gold and silver, at long last wiping Malika and Crul off the face of the Earth.

******************************************************************************

Tyler and Andrea flew at the Master, who moved unbelievably fast, grabbed their wings and tossed them away. However, the motion left him open and Conrad charged in, head down, catching the Master between his horns, tossing him in return towards Nia, who met him with a tornado kick. The Master managed to flip and right himself, landing in a crouch, only to be bombarded by blows from the red and yellow blurs that Tyler and Andrea had become. “Enough!” the Master shouted and blasted the Rangers away with a blast of green-black energy.

The Rangers regrouped. “Nice trick,” Tyler said, “now try our brand! Dragon’s Fire!” A sphere of fiery red energy appeared in his hands.

“Dragon’s Strength!” Conrad created a sphere of verdant green.

“Dragon’s Tears!” Nia brought forth a fluid blue sphere.

“Dragon’s Breath!” Andrea’s swirling yellow sphere manifested.

As one, the GeoForce Rangers cried “Dragon Strike!” and thrust their spheres forward. The spiraled around each other and then merged. From the combined spheres a dragon-shaped stream of energy burst forth, opened its jaws and consumed the Master in a massive explosion.

However, the explosion barely had time to clear before the Master grew to nearly twice the size of a normal mega sized Biorg, laughing, “It won’t be that easy children!” The Rangers didn’t even pause, “GeoZords, arise!”

The GeoForce Rangers’ trusty mecha; the Firedrake, the Auroch, the Leviathan, and the Thunderbird appeared and quickly transformed into the Red Fire Dragon, the Green Earth Dragon, the Blue Water Dragon, and the Yellow Air Dragon.

Conrad announced over the comm-link, “Hey, that extra panel on my controls is active!”

“Mine too,” the girls chorused.

“And I think I know what that means,” Tyler responded. “Red Fire Dragon, Warrior Mode!” At the Red Ranger’s command his Dragon Zord transformed into its humanoid configuration, but Tyler wasn’t done yet. “Okay guys, let’s do it . . . Megazord formation!”

The Earth Dragon leapt as the Air and Water Dragons flew around the Red Warrior. Suddenly, the other three Dragon Zords began to come apart, their components shifting, folding, and then attaching themselves to the Red Warrior as armor. The new Megazord landed opposite the Master and struck a battle-ready pose, and from their joint cockpit the GeoForce Rangers announced, “**Primal Dragon Megazord!**”

The two titans squared off for a moment; equal in height and bulk, the seemed to study each other before charging. The battle was fierce as the Earth’s enemy and its guardians exchanged blows that could shatter mountains. Windows in older buildings hundreds of miles away, those still made of glass, shattered from the resultant shock waves. A simultaneous blow by the combatants to the other’s chest forced them to back away from each other. The Master lashed out with a torrent of his vile energy, which the Megazord blocked with a shield comprised of the Earth Dragon’s head and the Air Dragon’s wings. With its other hand the Megazord threw a boomerang made from the Water Dragon’s tail fins. The weapon flew around the Master and slashed him repeatedly. The GeoForce Rangers used the time to command, “**Primal Dragon Sword!**”

The massive Sword appeared in a flash of multicolored light. “Okay guys, time to finish this!’ Tyler announced. The other Rangers nodded, and then as one, they called out, “**Primal Dragon Sword, full power!**” Their mingled elemental energies coursed over and through the blade. “Elemental Dragon Strike!”

The boomerang finally gone, the Master looked up just in time to see the charged blade coming at him . . . and smiled.


	42. Final Blow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter - I couldn't resist ending the last one on a cliffhanger. ;)

The Primal Dragon Megazord charged at the Master, and as the power of the Elemental Dragon Strike cleaved him in two, he smiled.

The Megazord turned and began to walk away, joined by the Celestial Dragon Megazord. The GeoForce Rangers had begun to celebrate their victory when they were stopped by the sound of hideous laughter. Both Megazords turned as a cloud of putrid green energy rose from the remains of the Master and coalesced into a massive humanoid shape.

“Thank you, children,” the evil energy being said, “Your elemental energy was the last thing I needed to complete my evolution. Now, nothing can stop me from achieving the destiny I have envisioned for this world! Mwahahahahaha!”

Both Megazords went into battle ready stances as Tyler said, “That’s what you think!” But before he could issue another command, he and the other GeoForce Rangers found themselves transported out of the Megazords to the ground below. They watched in confusion as the two Megazords then split back into their component Dragon Zords.

The Master laughed again and said, “Even your Zords know further battle is useless. I have won!”

“**Not so**,” a voice that seemed to come from all six Dragons responded. The Dragons then flew upward, becoming colored streaks of light that each flew a curving path until they came together in a brilliant flash. Everyone, even the energy being that was the Master, shielded his or her eyes. When the light cleared where once was six Dragon Zords was now an unbelievably massive, multi-colored Dragon. Easily larger than even Serpentera once was, it possessed aspects of all six Dragon Zords. It hovered above the battlefield majestically and then that same voice said, “**We are the Spirits of the Earth, the Spirits who called forth the GeoForce Rangers given form. Behold, for we are now the Elemental Dragon God Ultrazord!**”

******************************************************************************

From the point on the edge of the University of Terra campus to which they had evaced the civilians and stationed themselves Sky and the other B-Squad Rangers, as well as the Alpha and Beta Squads had watched the Megazord battles, cheering their fellow Rangers on. Now they watched as the Master rose from the ashes and the formation of the Ultrazord. Even several miles away they could hear the Ultrazord’s voice.

******************************************************************************

The Master seemed to back up as the Ultrazord continued, “**You have corrupted the power and substance of the Earth. Twisted your human birthright. For that, your end is now!**”

The Ultrazord dived at the Master, who attempted to blast it away with burst of his vile energy, which bounced harmlessly off the Ultrazord’s scales. The Master screamed in impotent rage as the Ultrazord reached him. There was another brilliant flash of light, and when it cleared both the Elemental Dragon God Ultrazord and the Master were gone.

“Is that it?” Conrad asked. “Is it finally over?”

“No,” responded Tyler, looking towards the ruins of the botanical dome. “We still have work to do.”


	43. Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger

The GeoForce Rangers entered the vast domed chamber in the bowels of Jackson Kingsley’s formerly hidden lair. The walls were covered with hundreds bio-cybernetic pods, each pod containing one of the so-called Master’s kidnapped victims. Each pod was connected to the larger bio-cybernetic pod in which Kingsley had further mutated himself by vine-like cables.

Tyler walked up to one of the pods and put his hand out, but did not touch it, “Are they still alive?”

Nia activated her helmet scanner and looked around the room for a few minutes before answering, “I think so. I’m not sure.”

The other Rangers looked at their Blue Ranger. Even with their helmets still on, Nia could sense the unspoken question in each of her teammates’ eyes . . . why. “Their life energy . . . hell, their blood and other vital fluids have all been connected to that thing,” she finally answered, pointing to the device in the center of the room.

The White and Yellow Rangers, Melissa and Andrea immediately moved over to the device and began to examine it. After a few minutes, they turned back to their teammates.

“Any luck guys?” Melissa’s twin brother, the Black Ranger, Craig asked.

Both girls shook their heads and Melissa responded, “No. Even when I was Malika, I never really understood father’s technology. The ability to use it was all from the bio-cybernetic implants.”

“We need help,” added Andrea.

Tyler put in the call and within minutes the GeoForce Rangers were joined by the B-Squad as well as both active SPD Ranger squads, Alpha and Beta, who immediately began to work trying to figure out how to safely disconnect the Master’s victims from the device. Thirty minutes later the news was not good. Dramlin Zell, SPD Alpha Red-1 approached his commander, Sky Tate and his fellow Red Rangers Tyler and Jack. “It doesn’t look good sir. We barely understand how the device works, and what we can figure out suggests that any attempt to shut it off or disconnect anyone from it, will lead to all of the victims dying.”

Several people, including Sky, swore. Tyler looked at the ground, and then suddenly looked up, “We can do it.”

Everyone reacted to Tyler with shock, but he wasn’t looking at them; instead he was looking at each of his teammates in turn and receiving nods of understanding and agreement from them. Tyler started to walk towards the device, but Jack grabbed his shoulder, “What do you mean Tyler?”

Tyler looked back at the former Red Ranger, “Just like we did with Sky. We can combine our powers to heal.”

Before Jack or anyone else could respond a flash of teleport energy deposited Grandmother in the chamber. She pulled back her hood and approached Tyler, “Tyler, all of my GeoForce, this isn’t like when you healed Sky.”

“I know that. But this time we have the Spirit powers, and we can use the Dragon Forms.” Tyler responded to his mentor.

“It’s so much more than that. All of you are not just risking de-morphing and feeling exhausted for a while. You’re not just risking your powers; you’re risking your lives doing this.”

Suddenly Kris Forge, SPD Alpha Green-3 and Tyler’s older brother strode up and grabbed Tyler, “No way Ty! We will figure something else out. You are not risking your life!”

Tyler looked his brother in the eyes, “Kris, I’ve been doing that since the day I got my powers. This is no different.”

“Yes, it is . . . it’s . . .”

“Exactly what Rangers are supposed to do, risk their lives, risk everything for the sake of those who can’t. Ranger code lesson one.”

A grim smile appeared on Kris’ face, “And here I thought you never listened to Dad.”

“Well, after the five hundredth time things start to sink in,” Tyler said with a smile of his own, and he and his brother embraced.

Sky looked at the twins, his wards . . . hell, he admitted to himself, his children. He pulled them both into a quick hug and whispered; “Good luck . . . and, may the Power protect you.” The twins pulled away with smiles and joined their teammates.

The GeoForce Rangers gathered in a circle around the strange device that took up the center of the room and morphed. Once in their Ranger armor, they transformed to their next level:

**“GeoForce Red Ranger, the Heart of Fire: Dragon’s Fire Form!”**

** “GeoForce Green Ranger, the Strength of Earth: Dragon’s Strength Form!”**

**“GeoForce Yellow Ranger, the Force of Air: Dragon’s Breath Form!”**

**“GeoForce Blue Ranger, the Flowing of Water: Dragon’s Tears Form!”**

**“GeoForce Black Ranger, the Spirit of the Sun: Solar Dragon Form!”**

**“GeoForce White Ranger, the Spirit of the Moon: Lunar Dragon Form!”**

Now clad in their Dragon armor, the six Rangers joined hands, each invoked their Element, and then with one voice they called out, “**Elemental Force! Power of Healing!**”

The circle of Rangers became a glowing pillar of light as the assembled current and former SPD Rangers and Grandmother looked on. The Elemental power began flowing through the device and through its connections to the pods. But is soon became apparent it wasn’t enough, as the scanners in the SPD Patrol units showed no change in the captured civilians and as the GeoForce Rangers’ Dragon armors blinked out of existence, but still they kept on.

Sky couldn’t take it anymore and exchanged a glance with Jack, Bridge, Z, and Syd. They all nodded, and Jack said, “Let’s do it guys!” The five B-Squad members brought out their morphers and morphed with the command, “**SPD Emergency!**” Now clad in their Ranger armor, they approached the glowing circle that was their fellow Rangers. The sheer power being given off made it hard to get close . . . but doing hard, nearly impossible thing is what Rangers do. Jack reached out and grabbed Tyler’s shoulders, but not to pull him away, instead he focused on adding his own Ranger Power. Around the circle Jack’s teammates, his family did the same; Bridge with Conrad, Z with Andrea, Syd with Nia, and Sky with one hand on each of the twins’ shoulders. The ring of power expanded.

************************************************************************

Pyrmas was the highest of holidays on Triforia, celebrating the day the planet’s three suns formed a perfect triangle in the sky. The Grand Hall of the Royal Palace was filled with nobles, dignitaries, and the current and two generations of former Triforian Zeo Rangers. Queen Trinity, Emeritus Gold Ranger was giving the official proclamation when she suddenly stopped speaking and looked up through the Hall’s crystal ceiling. All the current and former holders of the Zeo Crystals did the same. Warrior Prince Trine, the Gold Ranger, looked at the Queen, “Mother?”

However, it was the wizened King Emeritus Trey who answered his grandson, “The Power is being summoned in a way it hasn’t been in over a century.”

Falon Shan, Red Zeo Ranger 5, looked at his current and former Monarchs and his Prince, “It’s the GeoForce Rangers. Tyler’s team, on Earth. I can feel it.”

“You are correct Falon Shan,” Queen Trinity replied. She looked around the Hall, “Rangers, and emeritus Rangers to the Zeo Chamber immediately!” The gathered nobles and dignitaries looked on in shock as the eighteen current and former Zeo Rangers quickly left the room, Trey and his teammates moving faster than they had in decades, and made their way to the Palace’s central tower, the Zeo Tower and to the Zeo Chamber on its top floor.

Once there, they gathered in a circle, Trine held out the Gold Power Staff and it began to glow, levitating from his hand. The other Zeo Rangers focused and the five Zeo sub-crystals appeared around the staff. The Rangers and their predecessors, most of them the parents or grandparents of the current team, focused and the Triforians lent their Power to their fellow Rangers.

************************************************************************

Alanya Tian, Red Astro Ranger was sparring with her Silver Ranger Telden Mox while the rest of the team watched when she suddenly stopped. Telden stumbled as the blow he had been throwing went wide, as he had based his movement on Alanya’s.

“Alanya, what are . . .” Telden started to ask when he was cut off by Alanya’s raised hand.

“Don’t you feel that?” Alanya asked.

Now her teammates stopped, and each was able to feel the tug on the Power. “There are Ranger’s in need. Astro Rangers, gather!” Alanya commanded. The others joined her as she put out her left hand, with her morpher strapped to the wrist above it out, palm side down. Her teammates placed their left hands over hers, with Telden holding his morpher on top of the pile. The six Astro Rangers concentrated and their morphers glowed as their Power was given freely.

************************************************************************

The Doron Sena of Aquitar were engaged in their daily meditation when suddenly the eyes of Haylun, the Red Doron Sena shot open. He looked at his leader, the White Doron Sena, “Selphim . . .”

The female did not open her eyes, but responded, “We all feel it as well. Your young friend on Earth asks much, Haylun, but the Rangers of Earth have always given much.” She now spoke to the full team, “Doron Sena, concentrate and lend your Power to our fellow Rangers.”

************************************************************************

Anubis Cruger, High Commander of SPD was in the Command Center at SPD Central Command on the planet Garris, listening to one of his lieutenants give him the afternoon status reports when his eyes suddenly defocused and he stood from his chair. At that moment, Anubis’ oldest friend and the Head of SPD Science, Dr. Kat Manx entered the Command Center, “Doggie, do you feel that?” the Felian asked.

“Yes, I do.” Anubis reached down and entered the emergency command code into his desk comm station, “Attention all SPD outposts, this is High Commander Cruger. All available Morphing Grid energy is to be transferred to the Terran Grid immediately. All outposts are to comply.”

Anubis looked at Kat as she transferred Garris’ Grid energy to Earth, “I only hope it’s enough.”

************************************************************************

At 104 years old, Carter Grayson was the oldest living pre-SPD Power Ranger on Earth. He was also the last. The only other of his teammates that had been left, Joel, had passed on nearly ten years ago. Yes, his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids still visited, but it wasn’t the same. He missed his friends, but most of all he missed his beloved Dana.

Carter had found himself thinking about his days as a Ranger a lot today, but he wasn’t quite sure why. Carter was not usually a moody person; prone to dwelling on the past, even at his age, but something was different today. Carter sighed and rubbed his eyes. When he took his hand away, he noticed that a soft, pink light now suffused the room. Carter couldn’t speak, couldn’t believe what he was seeing was real, but still a single tear rolled down his cheek. Finally, he found his voice, “Dana?”

“Yes Carter, it’s time to go. But first, we have one last job to do.”

************************************************************************

The Alpha and Beta squad members reacted with surprise. Comments of what and how escaped several lips. Grandmother supplied the answer, “They are joined in the Power. Not just the power of the Earth, or of the SPD morphers, but the Power that Zordon long ago called upon. The Power that is the source of the Power Rangers.”

Ten sets of eyes looked at Grandmother, and then Dramlin spoke, “Alright, Alpha Squad, Beta Squad, time to back up our fellow Rangers! Ranger up!”

This time ten voices called out “**SPD Emergency!**” and soon another circle formed, and the Power grew.

Grandmother stood nearby, hoping, praying, that this would work, when she felt a hand take hers. She looked to her side, and then slightly up, to find herself looking into eyes she had not seen in far too many years, “Hiya sis.”

“Rocky,” Grandmother, the woman once known as the Yellow Ranger Aisha Campbell, breathed. He looked just as he did when they were Rangers together, even though he had been dead for decades. He was wrapped in a soft glow that fluctuated between red and blue, his two Ranger colors. As she tried to assimilate what was happening, Aisha felt her other hand taken. She turned to meet the warm eyes of her other “brother” Adam, glowing with a black and green aura. Tears began running down Aisha’s face as she looked around the chamber and saw other figures appear . . . all the Rangers who had passed on but were tied to the Earth by having defended Her, all glowing with their Ranger color or colors.

Tanya manifested to Adam’s side, as did Jason at Rocky’s. The rest of the original team soon joined them: Billy, Trini, Zack, Kimberly, Tommy, and Kat. They were followed by the next generations: Justin, TJ, Carlos, Cassie, Ashley, Andros, Zhane, and Karone, who had briefly taken her sister-in-law’s place while she was pregnant. Then came the Lightspeed Rangers: Carter, Dana, Joel, Kai, Kelsey; beaming with pride at her grandson Conrad, and Ryan. They all joined hands in a larger circle, but with one space empty directly behind Sky and the twins. A space that a moment later was filled with a smiling man glowing red, Robert Tate.

The energy built, enveloping them all, and for the first time since Zordon sacrificed himself to save the Universe, the Power burned with its full glory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, yes, I know, another cliffhanger, damn my eyes. Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you hanging, there will be an epilogue chapter before I label GeoForce complete.


	44. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with this we bring _Power Rangers: GeoForce_ to a close. Thank you for reading.

Tyler Forge reached up and tugged on his collar for approximately the hundredth time. "Stop that," his boyfriend Craig commanded, playfully swatting his and away and then straightening Tyler's red tie.

Tyler rolled his eyes and sighed, "But this tie is strangling me! Why do we even have to wear them anyway?"

Craig arched an eyebrow and asked, “Would you like some cheese with that whine?" Tyler stuck his tongue out at him, and Craig chuckled before continuing, "And we have to wear the ties because this is the Academy's New Class _**Formal Ball**_. Therefore, SPD cadets, faculty, and officers wear their _**formal**_ uniforms and everyone else wears _**formal**_ clothes."

Before Tyler could make a retort, SPD Terran Commander Sky Tate walked up, "How are you enjoying the Ball, boys?"

"Tyler thinks his tie is going to kill him Dad," Craig responded and Sky grinned widely. He had adopted the twins a month ago and the moment it was final, Craig began calling him "Dad." Sky still found himself amazed and overjoyed at having that title. 

"You humans and your torturous fashions," a gruff, but amused voice said from behind Tyler. He turned to find that the speaker was none other than Anubis Cruger, High Commander of SPD, his mate Isinia on his arm. Tyler looked up at the towering Sirian as he extended his paw, "Tyler Forge, correct? You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you."

"Yes, um sir, Commander Cruger," Tyler responded finally, remembering the manners his father had drilled into him.

Cruger took his hand with a smile, "Please, call me Anubis. And this is my mate, Isinia."

Tyler stammered, "Oh, I . . . I couldn't . . . shouldn't."

Anubis smiled again, "I understand what your father has likely taught you Tyler, but as one Ranger to another, I think we can call each other by name." 

"But I'm not a Ranger anymore," Tyler countered sadly. When the GeoForce Rangers recovered from the strain of saving and healing all of the Master's victims, they discovered that their morphers had vanished. While they still had their other powers, they could no longer morph. 

Anubis' expression turned to one of understanding, "I understand, as I too am no longer able to morph, but as Tommy Oliver once said; Once a Ranger, always a Ranger." 

Tyler smiled at this as Anubis turned to Sky, "And who is this fine-looking young man, Sky?" he asked, gesturing to Craig.

His smile spreading ear to ear, Sky put his arm around Craig's shoulders and answered, "Anubis, Isinia, I'd like you to meet my son, Craig Tate." 

The Sirians exchanged greetings with Craig and then Isinia asked, "And where is your daughter Sky? I would like to meet her as well." Isinia knew that her mate had come to think of the members of B-Squad as his own pups while they were under his tutelage, and that he took a father's pride in their accomplishments. Although she had only a brief time to get to know them prior to Anubis' promotion, Isinia had come to think of them in the same way. Therefore, she was anxious to meet the children she considered her grand-pups. Craig was a wonderful addition to the family, and should things progress between them she already approved of his choice of mate. 

"Oh, she's right over . . ." Sky began to respond, turning to point across the ballroom where he had last seen Melissa chatting with Nia, both looking so grown up in their new SPD cadet formal uniforms, but he stopped dead when he saw the crowd of boys gathered around them . . . many of them upper-classmen. The growl that issued from his throat was worthy of a Sirian. His eyes narrowed and he began to move towards the group, but Craig grabbed his arm. 

"Whoa Dad, chill. Missy and Nia can handle themselves."

"But those are upperclassmen!" Sky sputtered. "And one of them is Tom Lawson," he spat, referring to a senior well known for his womanizing. 

"Would he be the one who looks like his pet was just run over?" Tyler asked in an amused voice.

Sky looked up again to see Lawson walking away from the girls with that exact look on his face, and Nia and Melissa giggling as the crowd of boys dispersed and a crowd of upper-classmen girls took their place, many of them applauding. Sky visibly relaxed while Craig just said, "Told you." 

The girls eventually joined the group, along with the remainder of the B-Squad; Ally occasionally having to have the same fight with Jack that Craig was having with Tyler over his tie. The group talked for a while and Isinia pulled Tyler aside.

"I understand from your father that you are interested in art school."

"Yes ma'am," Tyler replied, amazed that his father would admit that to the wife of his supreme commander.

"Please, as Anubis said, Isinia."

"Alright, Isinia."

"When you begin to apply, please contact me. I have certain connections at the art academies on Garris, Triforia, and several here on Earth." 

"Isinia, I could never ask . . ."

The elder Sirian female held up a firm paw, "You are not asking Tyler, I am offering. Although not a Ranger myself, I am the mate of one and we watch out for our own." 

Tyler stared at her in stunned silence for a moment, and then suddenly hugged her, "Thank you!"

Isinia laughed and they returned to the group. By this point Conrad and Andrea had joined them. As Tyler walked up, Conrad elbowed him and pointed, "Hey Ty, check it out." 

Tyler followed Conrad's gesture and there across the ballroom he spotted his brother Kris talking to Bethany Torres, his squad's Pink Ranger. They were standing very, very close and as Tyler watched Kris paced his hand on Bethany's hip and she placed hers over his heart. "Finally," Tyler said with a laugh. On the opposite side of the room he could see the other Alpha squad members applauding their teammates.

******************************************************************************

A few hours later the former GeoForce Rangers were standing out on the balcony, looking out over the lights of New Tech City as the party went on in the ballroom behind them. Conrad broke the silence, “Man Nia, I can’t believe you enrolled in the Academy!”

“I can’t believe your mom let you,” added Andrea from her place wrapped in Conrad’s arms.

“Well, we beat the bad guy and I survived it, so that got my mom to relax a little,” Nia answered. “Plus, I’ll be in the Med-track, so not quite so much danger, and it will enable me to use my healing powers without the limitations the laws about use of bio-affective powers would impose on me as a civilian. And speaking of moms . . .,” Nia looked questioningly at Andrea.

“It’s . . . getting better. I mean, she really does seem to be trying, without pushing. But, it’s hard to trust her, you know?”

The others nodded their understanding as Conrad gave Andrea a squeeze. There was another comfortable silence, and then Tyler said, “Well as long as we’re asking questions . . . what about you Missy. Have you picked a track yet? Are you gonna try to be a Ranger again?”

Missy smiled, “Only if they develop a white one. Maybe with some blue and gold accents.” Melissa seemed to consider that for a moment, “Nah, that combo would look silly on the SPD template. As far as being a Ranger goes; been there, done that. I’m leaning more towards forensics. I was talking to some of the instructors in that program earlier and it sounds fascinating. Plus, I’d probably be able to get Uncle Bridge as my advisor.”

The former Rangers were quiet again, letting the sounds of the night in front of them and the party behind them wash over them, each reminiscing on their experiences as Rangers. Suddenly Conrad asked, “Do you think Grandmother’s okay?”

That sobered the teens. After discovering their morphers had vanished in their ultimately successful effort to save the Master’s victims, they also discovered their mentor had vanished as well. And without their morphers, they had no way to access Sanctuary. They all became quiet again, this time lost in thoughts concerning the well-being of the veteran Ranger who had become their mentor. 

Tyler felt a brood coming on from the topic when a tingling at the base of his skull distracted him. He felt compelled to look towards the far end of the balcony and what he saw there made his jaw drop . . . looking as young and vibrant as she did in the Archive and bathed in a soft yellow aura was Aisha Campbell. As Tyler looked eight other figures appeared, the original six Rangers plus Adam and Rocky. Aisha smiled warmly at Tyler until Rocky said, “Wow, this is just like the end of Return of the Jedi!” The other Ranger spirits groaned. Jason covered his face with his hands and shook his head. Aisha, however, elbowed Rocky in the stomach and he, despite his ghost-like state, doubled over in pain. Aisha arched her eyebrow at Tyler and a self-satisfied smirk crossed her face. Tyler burst out laughing.

The other former GeoForce Rangers looked at Tyler as if he had lost it. Tyler looked at them and then back towards the spirits, discovering them gone. Realizing he had been the only one to see or hear them Tyler turned back to his friends, smile still firmly on his face, “You know what? I have a feeling Aisha is just fine,” he said, dropping her title. “And you know what else? We saved the world! We’re part of the Ranger Legacy! And we deserve to party!” With that, Tyler kissed Craig soundly, yanked off his tie and loosened his collar, and led his friends, his team, his family laughing back into the ballroom.

_~Fin_


End file.
